Home Again
by Chylea3784
Summary: Sequel to 'Here and There'  Jenny and Tommy have returned home.  What's in store for them?  This has an 'M' rating for a reason, kids.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Well, here it is. Chapter one of part two. Thanks to all my loyal readers who have come over with me. To any new readers, this might be a little confusing if you haven't read the first part which is titled "Here and There". I recommend that you read that first to make sense of this part. If any of you are reading "All or Nothing", I expect to (finally!) update it this week. I hope you enjoy this part as much as you have the first one.**

**Back home**

Kira gasped in pain. Her ribs burned and she was betting they were broken. Ethan was down and she ducked as Conner flew past her and landed near Ethan. She stood up. "Can't give up" she told herself grimly. She saw the monster run at her and knew that she didn't have enough time to morph. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a bright light and prayed that it wasn't a headlight, but the light of the portal. The monster kicked her and she felt two more ribs give and she landed in a heap next to Conner and Ethan. Trent hit the thing in the back of the head with a flying kick.

The monster roared in rage and started to attack him in earnest. Jenny and Tommy entered the area just in time to see Trent go flying, bounce once and then stayed still. They exchanged looks.

"Tommy, keep him busy while I help the Rangers. Don't ask, just go!" Tommy nodded and raced toward the creature while Jenny headed for the others. One look told her all she needed to know. Quickly, she grabbed Trent's and Ethan's hands and looked at the other two who were coming around. "Conner, Kira, grab my hands too. NOW!"

Both Rangers did as they were told and Jenny triggered her healing powers. The two that had been unconscious snapped awake and all four stared at her. Bruises and cuts were blossoming all over her as their injuries healed. Tommy rolled across the ground and stopped near them. Jenny gritted her teeth and said, "Tommy, grab on. Neck, face, arm - anywhere that has bare skin. Hurry!" He did as he was told. She addressed them all. "Once you're completely healed, let go."

Ethan let go first, followed by Trent, Tommy and Conner. Jenny gasped in pain as she felt her ribs break and Kira's healed. Finally, Kira released her as well. Slowly, Jenny stood up, as did the other Rangers. She turned to the monster, swaying as she did. She held her ribs, looked at it and laughed painfully.

"You didn't really think it would be that easy, did you?"

"But now you are so hurt I can kill you very easily. That will screw the Rangers."

"You think so?" Jenny grinned at the thing. The four teens stood in front of her and Tommy stood at her side. She released the other part of her healing powers. In seconds, she stood tall and had completely healed herself. "Rangers, I think you know what to do."

As one, the five said, "Dino Thunder, Power Up!"

Once the morph was completed, the monster said, "I'll be back, Rangers!" and disappeared. Almost disappointed, the Rangers powered down and the teens turned to the two adults.

"You guys came back just in the nick of time!" Trent said. "I thought we were finished for sure."

Jenny smiled. "Someone was watching out for you while we were gone." She led them to the alley where the light of the portal still glowed. Gateway was still there and she spoke to him. "Thank you, again. You can return now and close the portal."

The old Aborigine smiled and nodded before he and the portal disappeared. Jenny scooped up the bags they had left laying there and tossed Tommy his. "Let's get back to the lair and you guys can tell us what happened before we got here and why he was beating you so easily."

A short while later, they arrived at the Command Center where Hayley waited. "Hayley" Tommy ordered "run a complete medical scan on Jenny."

Jenny sighed and greeted her. "Hi, Hayley."

"Welcome back." Hayley smiled at the other woman. "Let's get it over with."

Once the scan was over and Jenny was given a clean bill of health, she turned to the other Rangers. "Now, what happened?"

"Wait a minute" interrupted Ethan. "I know I cracked my head and all, but didn't you look different a week ago?"

"Yes, I did and in a few days, I'll look like that again. We'll talk about that later. I'm betting Kira has a show tonight, so let's get on with talking about the monster, shall we?"

Kira spoke up. "He called himself the Copycat and he can mimic our powers - and it sucks."

"All at the same time or one at a time?"

"One at a time, but he didn't use Trent's or Dr. O's."

"Who all used their powers in the battle?"

"Kira, Conner and me" answered Ethan.

"So he can only use known powers."

Hayley spoke up. "I was reviewing the tapes while you guys were headed here and it seems like he has to be close to the Ranger that has the power to use it."

"So proximity is important and so is knowledge." Jenny bit her lip and thought. A random thought struck her and she giggled. "I just realized - Mesagog and the others are scratching their heads right about now."

"Why?" asked Conner, exchanging puzzled looks with the other teens.

"Because they're trying to figure out if I'm a Ranger or not. I healed you guys and myself - which shows that I have powers. On the other hand, I didn't morph when you guys did. So they don't know if I am or not."

Tommy grinned. "They don't know that your powers came from the other world, so odds are Copycat will try and mimic it."

Hayley picked up the thought from there. "And since the portal is closed, he can't because you don't have it anymore."

Jenny nodded. "Exactly." She took the logic one step further. "Plus, you guys can't use those powers when you're morphed. If you morph quickly, that should take that problem out of the equation. There's only one question left."

"One question?" Conner asked.

Jenny ignored him. "Can he duplicate what you have when you are morphed? We won't know that until you battle him again. If he follows the pattern, you guys should be safe for a few hours. Kira has a show to do, right?" At the teens' nods, she continued. "Just go on with life as usual and we'll cross that bridge when we come to it."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Sorry it took so long to get the next chapter up - RL sucks sometimes. I hope to be posting several chapters in the next two weeks. For those that have been waiting so patiently, in approximately two more chapters we will get to the first reason for the M rating. As I wrote those parts, I did my best not to break any rules. If you think I have broken one, let me know and I will do my best to correct it. As usual, I don't own the Power Rangers, but I sure would love to.**

The boys left. Kira looked at the adults, biting her lip. "What's wrong, Kira?" Tommy asked her.

Finally, the girl gathered her courage and asked her question. "Is Jenny a Ranger or not?"

Tommy and Jenny traded looks. Jenny looked at Kira. "Yes, I am. We haven't told any of you because we decided to keep me as a backup until necessary."

Kira absorbed this information and then asked her next question. "Then what's your power?"

Jenny looked at the girl, startled. "I don't know. Why?"

"I was just thinking that we need to make sure that it isn't healing so the monster can't copy it. If it is healing and you have to use it, he can copy it and keep himself healthy."

"If it is healing, let's just hope that it works like it does in the other world. There, I can heal other people's injuries by taking them myself, then I heal myself. I just couldn't heal my own injuries."

Hayley said thoughtfully, "So the options for healing are yourself or others. We can test that easily. A small wound to you and to someone else should be enough."

Jenny shook her head. "I think in this case it would require three people - me, another Ranger and a non Ranger. Just in case I can heal just regular people or just Rangers. So we need two other volunteers."

Hayley said, "I'll do it, of course. I think the other one should be Tommy. Kira has a show tonight and the boys don't know about you being a Ranger."

Tommy nodded. "Rangers heal quickly, but not fast enough for Kira's show."

Jenny smiled sweetly and looked at Tommy. There was only one way she could do this. "Do you trust me?"

Tommy was puzzled. "Of course I do. Why?" He gasped as her hand flashed and a knife flew from it, grazing his arm just above the elbow. Jenny pulled another knife and approached Hayley.

"I won't hurt you anymore than I have to" she promised the other woman. Moving as fast as she was able, she nicked Hayley's arm and her own. She grabbed Hayley's hand and held her other hand out to Tommy. He took it and Jenny closed her eyes and focused, trying to heal any one of them. A minute later, she opened her eyes. "Anything?"

The other two shook their heads and she released them. Kira had already grabbed the first aid kit and began cleaning the small wounds. Jenny finally spoke. "Well the good news is that he can't copy a healing power. Kira, you need to get going."

"Are you coming?"

"No. We could never explain the changes in me from last week to this week to next week. I'll stay in tonight. Tommy, you should go. Nobody knows you've been gone and you don't usually miss her show."

"But -"

Jenny looked at Kira and Hayley. "You two need to get going. I'll see you later." She turned and headed for the stairs, pausing only to pick up her knife. Tommy looked at the other two.

"Go ahead. I'll make it if I can." Kira nodded and they left. Tommy followed Jenny up the stairs and found her in the kitchen, rummaging through the fridge. He studied her for a minute before he spoke. "What aren't you telling me?"

Jenny had been lost in thought and didn't hear him approach. She jumped when he spoke and cracked her head on a shelf. She extracted herself from the fridge, rubbing her head. "What?"

"What aren't you telling me?" he asked again. When she didn't answer, he spoke again. "You know, Logan and I talked a bit while we were in the other world. He mentioned that you often will hide things that you think will worry other people."

Jenny dropped her gaze to the floor. "People often have more important things to worry about."

"You are important to me." His voice had deepened and he spoke gently. "You should know by now that you can tell me anything."

"It's nothing" she insisted.

"Then why won't you look at me?" he asked. He crossed the room and gently raised her head so she had to look at him. He looked at her eyes and saw fear there. "What's going on?"

Jenny searched his face for a moment. What she saw there brought tears to her eyes. Finally, she answered him. "I'm afraid."

"Of what?"

"I'm afraid that you love who I am there, not here. I know I look completely different in the two worlds. There I'm thin and beautiful and I can see without my glasses and here I'm heavy and ugly and blind as a bat."

His eyes narrowed slightly. "Sweetheart, I told you - I realized I loved you before you left. I just didn't say anything because I thought you had enough to deal with and you didn't need to deal with that too - especially if you didn't feel the same way. If you didn't feel the same way, you might not have come back or just came back because you felt responsible for the Rangers."

Jenny closed her eyes and rested her head on his chest. Tommy wrapped his arms around her and held her close. She could feel his voice rumble through his chest as he spoke again. "What else is bothering you?"

Jenny frowned. "If this is like the last time I came back, I'll probably be sick for a while. I think it's a reaction to losing the powers and returning to this world. Hopefully, it won't be too bad since I wasn't there as long."

Tommy frowned as well and pulled back slightly to look at her. "What do you mean?"

"The last time I was sick for over a week. It's kind of like the flu and withdrawal all at once - fever, chills, vomiting, can't sleep or can only sleep, weak, headaches, cold sweats, nightmares. If it's like last time, I won't start getting sick until tomorrow. I had planned for you to go out and I was going to relax while I can. You need to at least put in an appearance tonight so nobody gets too curious. The last thing we need is people getting nosey. Even if you're only there for ten minutes, it'll help."

"But -"

"No buts. I'll be fine until you get back. Just pray that you don't need the Green Ranger before I'm back on my feet."

"How about this? I'll go long enough to tell them I'm staying with you because you're getting sick and then I'll be home. Remember, we gave people the impression that we were a couple long before we became one and it will look even stranger if I go out without you."

Jenny considered this and then nodded. Tommy kissed her gently on the forehead. "I'll be back soon. I love you."

Jenny smiled. "I love you too. Drive carefully and watch out for monsters."

"I will." Tommy grabbed his keys off the counter and left.

Jenny went and changed her clothes. They hung on her like a cheap suit. She sighed and began to gather things that she knew from experience that she would need. She decided that when she was done, she'd go out and sit on the deck and relax.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Hey people! Welcome to the beginning of the M rating! Hope you like it.**

**Across town**

Tommy stepped into the Cybercafe and looked around. He spotted the boys at the usual table and made his way through the crowd toward them. He got their attention and explained that he wasn't staying because Jenny was getting sick. The teens accepted this with a minimum of comment, much to Tommy's relief. He quickly headed backstage and relayed the news to Kira, who nodded and said that she'd come by and see Jenny tomorrow if it was okay. Tommy nodded and suggested that the girl call first and she agreed. Tommy left Kira to finish getting ready and went to talk to Hayley.

"Hey, Tommy. Want something to drink?"

"I'm not staying, Hayley. Jenny's getting sick so I'm going to stay with her."

The mother in Hayley reared up and took charge. "Wait a minute. I'm going to write you a quick list of things to pick up at the store that you'll probably need."

"But -"

"No buts, Oliver. I've seen the things you keep in your cupboards and I know you don't have half of it. Give me five minutes." Tommy agreed and five minutes later, Hayley was pressing a lengthy list into his hand. "There's a store a couple blocks over. You should be able to get this stuff and get out in less than twenty minutes. I'll come by tomorrow or Sunday and see how she's doing. Now, get going."

Stunned, Tommy left and headed for his car. He shook his head as he unlocked the door and climbed in. He stopped at the store and began to pick up the things on Hayley's list and a few things he knew he needed anyway. He was muttering to himself by the time he headed toward the checkout. "Why on earth do I need to get both chicken broth and chicken soup?"

The girl at the checkout looked startled. "What?"

"Nothing" Tommy sighed. Quickly, he paid for his purchases, returned to the car and headed home. He hauled the bags in and dumped them on the counter. "I'm home!" he called.

"On the deck" Jenny called back. She looked in through the screen and saw all the bags. "What the hell?"

"Hayley decided I needed to go shopping before I came home" Tommy informed her. "I told her you were sick and the next thing I know she's shoving a list in my hand and telling me to get all this stuff before I came home."

Jenny chuckled, reached for the bags and started unpacking them. She nodded in approval at some of the things and frowned at others. "Gatorade is smart, but pointless. I hate the stuff. The lemon lime soda will do the job. Saltines, good. Chicken broth and chicken soup?"

Tommy shrugged. "It was on her list." He was unpacking bags too and soon they had all the groceries put away. "What were you doing when I got home?"

"Nothing, actually. Just sitting outside and enjoying the evening."

"Want company?"

Jenny pretended to think this over. "I suppose it would depend on whose company."

Tommy grinned. "I was thinking someone taller than you, dark hair, and a trained martial artist."

Jenny widened her eyes. "Wow, that'd be super, but do you think that Jason's free?"

Tommy lunged at her, but she slipped away and flew out the door with him hot on her heels. Tommy chased her for several minutes before he grabbed her and pulled her down on the lawn with him, both laughing. Once they had caught their breaths, Tommy propped himself up on one elbow and looked at her.

"You were saying?"

Jenny reached up and cupped his cheek. "I was saying that your company will do quite nicely."

"Good answer" he responded before he leaned over and kissed her. As their kisses became more heated, Tommy pulled her on top of him and stroked his hands along her spine. A few kisses later, both sets of hands were wandering. Jenny shifted so that she straddled his hips which drew a groan from both of them. As they continued kissing, Tommy slipped his hands under her shirt and caressed her bare skin.

Jenny sighed in pleasure, slid her hands under his shirt and rocked her hips against him. Tommy gasped and thrust back; mimicking the act they were building toward. After a few minutes of this, Tommy suddenly rolled them both over and propped himself up on his hands. He looked in her eyes and saw that they were hazy with lust for him. He thrust his hips again and she moaned.

He leaned down and growled in her ear. "I want you."

"I want you too." She took advantage of his position and latched her lips onto his neck. He groaned as more blood rushed to his groin. He thrust again and she gasped. Reality intruded as she gasped out, "Do you have anything?"

He frowned as his brain tried to process the question. "What?"

"Do you have anything?" she repeated. "I haven't had my pills in months so -"

Tommy groaned in frustration. "No."

Jenny bit her lip. It wasn't fair to leave him in this state, but neither was it a good idea to be irresponsible when they were both Rangers. An idea popped into her head and she smiled. She flipped them back over, moving him easily in his surprise. Once more, she straddled his hips. She grabbed his wrists and pinned him to the ground. She leaned over and when her lips were a breath away from his, she said, "Trust me and don't move."

Before he could reply, she kissed him soundly. She reached between them and stroked him through the denim. He moaned and she pulled his shirt up and began pressing kisses all over his torso. She slid off of him and lay against his side. As she swiped her tongue across his nipple, her hand was rubbing him through his jeans. She continued her torment for several minutes until Tommy was breathless once more. Another minute later and she had unfastened his jeans and had pulled them and his boxers out of her way.

She kissed him on the mouth once more as her hand made contact with his silken flesh. Tommy moaned against her mouth and she took advantage of the moment and slipped her tongue inside. Her tongue stroked his in the same rhythm as her hand was stroking him somewhere else. She broke the kiss and began to nibble her way down his body. She suddenly stopped and looked up at him. "Watch me" she commanded softly.

Tommy raised his head and locked eyes with her as she took him into her mouth. Tommy's head dropped back at the sensation. Then she started to move and he was lost. Several strokes later, he was fast approaching the end. His muscles tensed and he forced himself to speak. "Jen - I'm almost there."

Her only response was to move faster. Suddenly, she reached up and stroked his nipple. Electricity shot from his nipple to his groin and he began bucking his hips as he reached his pinnacle.

When sense had returned and he had caught his breath, he found that she had neatly tucked him away and was refastening his jeans. She snuggled next to him, resting her head on his shoulder. He held her tightly for a moment and pressed a kiss on her head. Without looking up at him, she asked, "Better now?"

"Yes and no." At this unexpected answer, she did look up at him. His face was serious as he answered the unspoken question. "For one thing, I can't wait for the next time and believe me, I'll be prepared. For another thing, you didn't get yours."

Jenny shrugged. "It doesn't matter."

"Oh, but it does." He looked at her with a mixture of humor and exasperation before he rolled them again. "I'm not one of those guys."

"What guys?"

"Those guys that forgets his woman."

"You don't have to."

He pressed a kiss to the sensitive spot below her ear and whispered, "But I want to. I want to see you have as much pleasure as you gave me. I want to see you lose control and I want to hear you when you do. Trust me."

His words combined with his breath ghosting across her ear and his weight on her was too much and she shuddered. He slid his hand inside her shirt and cupped her breast. He stroked his thumb across her nipple and smiled when she gasped. He released her and pulled her shirt up. He stared at her for a moment and then lowered his head. He pressed kisses all over her torso, pausing occasionally to nip and lick her sensitive flesh. Mimicking what she had done before, he shifted his weight off of her and slipped his hand under the waistband of her sleep pants.

He touched her gently and was pleased when she moaned his name. He stroked the sensitive area between her legs for a few more minutes before he tugged her bottoms down and off. With one last kiss, he settled himself between her legs and focused on making her feel as good as she had done to him.

Jenny's hands fisted in the grass. It was like he knew _exactly_ where and how to touch her. Before she knew it, she was teetering on the brink of completion. He kept her there for several minutes. When she spoke, her voice was raw with need. "Tommy, god, I'm so close."

Like her, he doubled his efforts and the stars seemed to explode when she did. Spasms shook her body and she cried out in pleasure. Eventually, the world returned and the stars came into focus. Tommy pulled himself up beside her as she caught her breath.

"Oh. My. God." It was all she could say.

He smiled as he said, "Better now?"

She grinned and tossed his own words back at him. "Yes and no. I can't wait for the next time either."

"Good." They lay together for a few more minutes before Tommy spoke again. "We should probably go inside."

Jenny sighed. "Yeah, we probably should." Tommy rose first and pulled her to her feet before retrieving her things and helping her back into them. He took her hand and led her back into the house, closing and locking the door behind them.

Tommy suggested, "Um, if you want to, you could move into my room."

Jenny hesitated briefly. "I do want to, but I think that it would be better if we wait until I'm past the whole sick stage."

"I had forgotten that" he admitted. "If you want to, we'll wait."

"I don't want to; I just think that we should."

Tommy nodded. "All right. Do you want go to bed or watch TV and cuddle or what?"

Jenny hesitated again. She knew what was in store for her and she knew that she would need to rest. Finally, she decided. "Let's snuggle in front of the TV for a little while and then I'll go to bed."

Together, they headed for the living room and settled on the couch, Jenny curled up against Tommy's side and his arm wrapped around her shoulders. Jenny sighed in contentment. A couple hours later, they decided to go to bed and went to their separate rooms.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Sorry it's taken me so long to update. Fortunately, one of the readers gave me a gentle reminder that I haven't updated in a while. Thanks, GinaStar! Anyway, part of the problem is that I have a few parts that I'm not sure if I should post or not. There is one entire section that I think Tommy fans might be ticked off about. If you all wouldn't mind, give me your thoughts on the matter. Several chapters will be long ones - otherwise part two will be longer than part one!**

A couple hours later, Jenny woke up shivering. She knew that she had a fever and grabbed the spare blanket from the end of the bed. She wrapped the blanket around her shoulders and curled up. She had just found a comfortable position and closed her eyes when they snapped open once more. She groaned as she felt her stomach churn. Swiftly, she got up and went to the bathroom. A few minutes later, she raised her head and moaned out, "God, somebody help me."

Tommy punched his pillow and tried to get comfortable. He couldn't sleep and he knew why. He wanted to be with Jenny. He turned over and stared as a glow appeared on his floor. It took the shape of Jenny half sitting, half lying on the floor. Swiftly, he sat up and turned on the light. The figure solidified and had a bloody nose. "Jenny?"

She raised her eyes to him. "Help me, please." The figure disappeared before Tommy's feet hit the floor. He all but flew down the stairs and was headed for her room when he heard a noise. He spun toward the source of the sound and saw the light on under the bathroom door. He quickly crossed over to it and listened. He heard a soft sound like a sob and opened the door. Jenny half lay half sat on the floor, her head resting on the seat. Quickly, he grabbed a washcloth and wet it under the tap as she began heaving once more.

Tommy shifted her braid and placed the damp cloth on the back of her neck and wet another one. When she was done, she reached up and flushed with a shaky hand. Tommy crouched next to her and gently wiped her face. He saw that she did indeed have a bloody nose. Quietly, he spoke. "What can I do?"

"In my room, there's a glass on my nightstand. Would you get it for me?" With a nod, Tommy stood and left the room to retrieve the glass. Jenny grabbed a Kleenex and pressed it to her nose. He returned a moment later and handed her the glass. She took a few sips from it and handed it back. He set it on the sink. Jenny reached for the blanket and Tommy helped her wrap up in it. Jenny's teeth were chattering. Tommy promptly sat down on the floor, gathered her in his arms and held her.

Finally, Jenny said, "You don't have to stay. You can go back to bed."

"Shh. It's okay. I'm fine. I wasn't sleeping anyway."

Jenny frowned. "Were you checking on me? Is that how you found me?"

"No. I had turned over in bed and a glow appeared in my room and I saw you on the floor and you asked me to help you so I came looking."

"I what?" Jenny frowned again. She was about to say something when her stomach lurched again. She scrambled over to the toilet. A few minutes later, she was done and resettled against Tommy. She sighed tiredly. "Promise me something?"

"What?"

"No matter what happens, you won't take me to the hospital - and you won't let anyone else either."

Tommy was quiet for a moment. "I'll promise if you'll tell me why you think it would be necessary."

"Trust me; it'll get worse before it gets better."

Tommy hesitated for a minute and then promised. Tommy shifted himself into a more comfortable position and held her until the next round.

**Ten A.M.**

Tommy groaned as his communicator went off. Praying that the monster hadn't returned, he spoke into the device. "Go ahead."

"Morning Dr. O. Is it okay to come visit?" Kira's voice seemed ridiculously loud and cheerful.

Tommy answered tiredly. "How about a little later, Kira? We've been up all night and we could both use a little sleep."

"I know that Hayley's planning to come by about one. Can I come then?"

"That's fine."

"See you then. Kira out."

Tommy sighed tiredly and slid out from under Jenny's sleeping form. He stretched, picked her up, carried her to her bed and tucked her in. He grabbed a spare blanket and pillow from the hall closet and settled on the couch for a nap.

**Later that day**

Hayley and Kira arrived at the same time. The two women greeted each other and headed for the door together. Kira knocked as Hayley searched her purse for her key. A minute later, Tommy opened the door and the two women stared. He looked wiped out and both women walked in past him. Kira said, "I'll make coffee."

The girl headed for the kitchen but kept her ears tuned to the conversation in the other room. Hayley asked, "How bad is she?"

Tommy yawned and answered, "She can't keep anything down for long and her fever has spiked a few times."

"What have you tried to give her?"

"Soup, broth, Sprite, water - you name it, we tried it. There have been times that the vomiting is so violent that she ends up with a nosebleed."

In the kitchen, Kira bit her lip. She had been that sick once when she was younger. She remembered something her mother had done and it had helped. Quietly, she searched the cupboards and was pleased to find what she needed. She mixed up a drink and peeked into the other room. Tommy was sitting on the couch with his head in his hands and Hayley was sitting next to him as he said, "I don't know what to do for her."

Kira slipped out of the kitchen and down the hall as Hayley replied, "Maybe it's time to take her to the hospital. If she gets dehydrated, it'll make things worse."

"I can't - I promised her I wouldn't." Kira eased Jenny's door open further and looked in. Jenny seemed to be sleeping, but as Kira came in the room, she opened her eyes.

Jenny smiled weakly at the girl. "Hi."

"Hi. Are you feeling any better?"

"Not really. I can't keep anything down and I can't get comfortable." Kira eyed the bed critically.

"Jen, a rat couldn't get comfortable in that bed. Come on; let's get you in the chair."

With Kira's help, Jenny moved to the chair. Once she was settled, Kira handed her a glass. "Drink this. I can't promise it will stay down, but if you can drink it and hold it down for a while, I promise you'll feel better."

Jenny sniffed it and gave the girl a questioning look. "Trust in Momma Ford's recipe. Now, you drink all of that while I deal with the bed."

In the other room, Tommy raised his head and sniffed the air. "Good, the coffee's done." He stood up and headed for the kitchen. As he stepped into the room, he said, "Thanks, Kira." He stopped short as he realized she wasn't in the kitchen.

Hayley frowned. "You don't suppose she slipped past us to go see Jenny, do you?"

Tommy sighed tiredly. "Probably. Let's go see." The two walked down the hall and saw that Jenny's door was open slightly. He knew that he hadn't left it open that much so he eased up to the door and listened. He could hear the sheets rustling.

"You can make a bed faster than I can" commented Jenny.

Kira's voice was cheerful. "I hate making beds, so I learned to do it quickly so I could get it over with." Tommy and Hayley could hear the sound of pillows being fluffed and tossed into place. Kira continued, "There, that's done. Are you finished?"

"Yes, Momma" Jenny answered tiredly.

"Good. Then let's get you tucked back into bed and you can get some sleep. If I'm here when you wake up, I'll fix you something else." Tommy eased the door open a little farther so they could see in the room. Kira was helping Jenny back into the bed.

"By the way, what the hell was that you gave me? It tasted familiar, but I can't place it."

Kira grinned as she pulled the covers up. "Jell-o water. Once when I was younger, I was very sick and couldn't keep anything down. My mother gave me that and it settled my stomach. My mom says that it works for just about everything except morning sickness."

"I hope she's right." Just then, Jenny saw Tommy and Hayley in the doorway. "We've got company."

Kira reddened as Jenny greeted the others. "Hi."

"Feeling any better?" he asked.

Jenny considered the question. "I think so. Hopefully, the drink Kira made me will help."

"Get some rest" Hayley said. "Kira and I will hang around for a bit."

Jenny snuggled down in the bed and yawned. "Make Tommy get some rest, too. He was up all night with me."

Hayley fixed Tommy with a look. "Oh, I will."

They left the room. Hayley turned to Tommy. "It's after one now. Go lie down - on the couch, in your room, wherever - and rest. You never know when the monster will come back and we don't need to be down a Ranger."

"But -"

Kira jumped in. "Dr. O, we'll get you if anyone needs you."

Tommy hesitated. "Before I do, I want to give you something to think about." Briefly, he told them about what had happened the night before when Jenny had seemed to appear in his room. "I think it might be her Dino Gem power, but I'm not sure what it is."

Hayley nodded. "Kira and I will work on it. Now go get some sleep!"

Tommy laughed and went to lie down on the couch. Kira and Hayley headed for the kitchen and began brainstorming. Kira grabbed a pad of paper and a pen from by the phone. "Okay, she starts out in the downstairs bathroom, appears in Dr. O's room and returns to the bathroom all in the space of a few seconds. How?"

"Teleportation?" suggested Hayley. Kira wrote it down. "Astral projection, possibly."

"Dream travel?" asked Kira.

Hayley bit her lip as she thought. "It's possible, but unlikely. Telepathy?"

Kira wrote them all down. An idea struck her. "You know, maybe we need to ask Dr. O what happened in the other world. That might give us a clue."

"How?"

Kira shrugged. "I don't know, but it can't hurt to ask."

"Here's another idea. Tommy's a Native American by birth. Maybe his bloodline has something to do with it."

Kira was startled. "You're saying that maybe it has nothing to do with Jenny at all, but Dr. O? Is that possible?"

Hayley shrugged. "If I remember correctly, his grandfather is a seer for the tribe."

Kira flipped the page and wrote this idea down on a fresh sheet. She jotted down another idea before she voiced it to Hayley. "Maybe being in the other world affected him somehow."

Hayley nodded. The two tossed ideas back and forth along with ways to test them. Just before five o'clock, Tommy wandered into the kitchen, yawning. He flopped into the nearest chair and nodded when Hayley offered him a cup of coffee. A minute later, she handed him a mug of the steaming brew. Tommy thanked her and took a few swallows. The girls planned to tell him what their brainstorming had come to once he woke up enough.

Tommy was finally awake enough to talk to when he cocked his head and listened. Then the women heard it too. A slow shuffling step headed for the kitchen. Jenny appeared in the doorway and Tommy frowned. Her face was bright red and her eyes were fever bright, but they didn't seem to be focused on anything.

Hayley exchanged looks with Tommy and Kira and then addressed Jenny. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, but it's cold in here, Mommy." They were startled by the little girl sound of her voice.

Hayley grimaced. "Tommy, do you have the thermometer I told you to get?"

Tommy nodded and pointed to the bag on the counter. Hayley grabbed it and skimmed the directions. She remarked, "You said that her fever spiked a few times. Why didn't you check it?"

"I didn't want to know how high it was - especially since I promised that I wouldn't take her to the hospital."

Hayley took her temperature. When she saw the reading, she gasped. Tommy stood, went to the sink and wet a dish towel. He wiped Jenny's face, neck and arms. He knew that she was hotter than she had been any time before. This, combined with Hayley's reaction, could not be good. He spoke quietly to Jenny. "Jen, try to focus for me. When you were sick the last time you came back, how did you handle the fevers?"

Slowly, Jenny blinked at him. She took the cloth from him and pressed it to her eyes. When she pulled the cloth down, he asked her again. This time she seemed to process the question. "Bath."

Kira jumped up and hurried to fill the tub. Hayley's voice followed her, reminding her not to make it too cold. Several minutes later, Tommy led her into the bathroom and Jenny stepped into the water, still dressed. She made a face. "Too hot."

As Tommy adjusted the temperature, Kira left the room. She looked at Hayley who stood nearby. "Did I see the thermometer right?"

Hayley just nodded. Kira frowned. The thermometer had read a hundred and nine degrees. She vaguely remembered hearing somewhere that above a hundred and five could mean brain damage. "What do we do?"

"I don't know, Kira. If she was anyone else, I'd have taken her to the hospital already. Tommy promised her that she wouldn't be taken to the hospital so we can't. Unfortunately, she's right. We can't take her to a hospital. With a fever that high, she's hallucinating plus the doctors would want to do blood work and that could compromise the Rangers' secret."

Jenny sat in the tub and stared at Tommy as he dunked a cloth, ran it over her arms, face and neck and then repeated the process. Finally, he noticed her watching him. "What?" he asked.

"You're cute" she answered.

He wasn't sure how to answer that. "Um, thanks."

Jenny sighed. "I wish you were my boyfriend."

Tommy was startled. "Whose boyfriend do you think I am?" he asked curiously.

She frowned. "Dunno. But somebody as cute as you can't possibly be single - unless you like it that way."

Tommy returned to what he had been doing. "I used to think I did, but that was before a special woman came back into my life."

"It's nice to have someone to care for and care for you back. Does she know you're taking care of me?"

"Oh, yes. She asked me to."

"That's nice."

Tommy stopped once more and looked at her. "Um, do you know who I am?"

"Not a clue. You seem vaguely familiar, but I don't know you, do I?"

Tommy frowned as he adjusted the water temperature once more, increasing the cold. "Yes, you do."

As the water cooled, Jenny began to shiver. "It's too cold."

"No, your fever is just that high. I want you to take a deep breath and dunk under the water and stay there as long as you can."

Jenny shrugged and did as she was told. Tommy had her do it over and over as the water cooled even more. Finally, Jenny popped up, gasped for air and said, "Jeez, Tommy, polar bears swim in warmer water than this!"

Tommy breathed a sigh of relief. He called Hayley and asked her to check Jenny's temperature. Hayley came quickly, found that it had dropped to one hundred and sighed in relief as well. She said, "Let's get you out of these wet things and into some dry ones. Kira and I will make you something to eat."


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Sorry about the long time between updates, guys. I've been trying to edit a part further on and it's giving me a real problem. That part seemed to write itself and I can't change it to suit me. Anyway, here's the next chapter - it's a long one to make up for the wait.**

Half an hour later, the four were sitting at the kitchen table eating soup and Tommy, Kira and Hayley had sandwiches. Jenny's hair was still wrapped in a towel. Jenny commented, "Have you ever been so sick you couldn't eat and then when you finally could even the blandest food seemed like gourmet fare?" The others nodded. Jenny continued, "Well, folks, this ain't it."

They all laughed. Tommy asked Jenny, "Do you remember last night when I found you?"

Jenny frowned. "What do you mean? I remember parts of it."

"Do you remember me telling you how I found you?"

"Vaguely. Something about me appearing in your room asking for help, I think."

"I asked Kira and Hayley to work on it and see if they had any ideas. I think they were going to tell me what they came up with when you showed up with your fever."

Hayley nodded. "Actually, we had some questions, too. It's possible that something happened in the other world that might have something to do with it."

Kira added, "We also didn't rule out the idea that it might have something to do with Dr. O."

Tommy was startled. "What do you mean?"

Hayley answered him. "We think it's possible that either your time in the other world or your heritage might have something to do with it. Didn't you tell me once that your grandfather was a seer for the tribe?"

"Well, yes, but wouldn't I have shown signs of it before now?"

Jenny spoke up. "Maybe you have and didn't realize it. I'm wondering if it's a combination of things."

"Like what?"

Jenny spoke slowly. "What if it's the combination of my Dino Gem power and something that happened in the other world and your heritage?"

They all considered this for a minute before Tommy spoke up. "Okay, but then what's your power?"

Jenny shrugged as Kira grabbed the notepad. "Well, Hayley and I were working on that. A few of the possibilities were teleportation, astral projection, dream travel-"

Jenny interrupted. "Astral projection and dream travel are very similar - two branches of the same thing, really."

Tommy nodded. "If I remember something I read right, dream travel is also kind of the same as a vision quest."

Jenny nodded. "I wonder if I can do it again. Tommy, you and Kira go in the other room. I'm going to try it."

Tommy opened his mouth to protest, but stopped at the determined look on Jenny's face. He and Kira went to the other room and called back that they were ready. Jenny took a deep breath and concentrated.

Kira and Tommy stared at the glow in front of them. In a moment, it was Jenny and she spoke. "Well, this is interesting."

Jenny reached out a hand to each of them. Tommy took one hand, while Kira took the other. Kira frowned. "You're cold."

"No, she's not" Tommy contradicted. "She's warm."

Kira blinked. She could barely hear what Jenny was saying. "One of you thinks I'm cold and the other thinks I'm warm?"

Kira's brow furrowed as she strained to hear her. "I can barely hear you."

Tommy was puzzled. "I can hear her just fine." Jenny frowned and suddenly disappeared. The other two returned to the kitchen.

"I probably need more practice" Jenny commented as the two entered. "Of course, if your heritage does have something to do with it…"

Jenny's voice trailed off as she considered something else. "Or maybe there's another connection - something that happened in the other world. I wonder…"

Her brow furrowed in concentration and suddenly, Tommy gasped. He stared at her in wonderment. "I can hear you."

"Try doing it back" she suggested. Tommy concentrated and Jenny winced. "Not so loud!"

"But how?" Tommy wondered.

Hayley asked, "What's going on?"

"Tommy and I seem to be able to communicate telepathically" Jenny answered. "I think it has something to do with what happened in the other world."

"What are you talking about?" they all asked her. Jenny locked eyes with Tommy.

"Think about it. There was only one thing that just the two of us shared."

"Well, there was more than one thing. After all, you were me for the space of about an hour." Tommy grinned at her.

"True" she admitted. "But if you think about it, there was something else bigger and more important."

Tommy frowned. "I know what you're talking about, but do you really think that has anything to do with it?"

"I wouldn't have brought it up if I didn't."

Hayley and Kira looked at them. "Would you mind filling in the rest of the class, Dr. O?" Kira asked. "After all, you guys never told us what happened there."

Tommy looked at Jenny. He frowned as he thought to her, "What do you think?"

"I think it's time" she thought back as she nodded. She spoke out loud. "I'll change into something more passable while you call the boys."

She left the room as Tommy triggered his communicator. Half an hour later, everyone was in the lair. Jenny spoke first. "Okay, you guys want to know what happened in the other world, right?"

Everyone nodded and Jenny told her story. "You all know that I went back to help a friend. He was very sick and I spent five weeks their time figuring out what was wrong and how to treat him and get him better. After he was better, some of the girls and I decided to go shopping before I came back. While we were at the mall, I was kidnapped and held prisoner for months. Apparently, the X-Men decided that the only way to find me was to get Dr. O's help. They thought that he might have some equipment that would be able to locate me."

"Wait a minute" interrupted Trent. "They couldn't even find you with Cerebro?"

Jenny shook her head. "See, they had no current scans of me and my captors had put a restraint collar on me to suppress my powers."

"Well then, how did they think that Dr. O could help find you?" asked Ethan.

Jenny answered softly, "By my Ranger powers."

Trent and Conner stared at her, stunned. Ethan poked Conner in the side. "Dude, you owe me twenty bucks."

Jenny and Tommy stared at the young man as Conner dug some money out of his pocket and handed it over. "You knew?" Tommy asked.

"Not for sure, but I had a hunch."

Kira laughed. "So the only ones that were completely clueless were Trent and Conner."

"When did you figure it out?" Conner asked her curiously.

"When Wolverine came back for Dr. O. He said something about not being able to find her bracelet and Dr. O mentioned that she had left it here in case we needed the power."

"That is so cheating! You had information that we didn't!"

"Quit yelling, Conner!" Tommy admonished him. "I'm curious about how Ethan figured it out."

Ethan grinned at his mentor. "She was wearing the bracelet when you guys came back from the trip to get her stuff. Plus, anytime we went to morph, she was mouthing the call with us."

Jenny blushed. "I didn't realize I was doing that."

Hayley jumped in. "Okay, back to the story. As we all know, Wolverine came to get Tommy the same day I went to talk to him. So he went to the other world and-"

Tommy picked up the story from there. "I had taken a couple of scanners with me to the other world. While I was waiting for them to be hooked up, Jubilee and I went for a walk on the grounds. I found a good place and sat down and meditated, trying to figure out a way to find Jenny. I - I still have my Ninjetti powers and the spirit of the falcon showed me where she was. Jubilee, Wolverine and I gathered the X-Men and went after her. She was being held in a compound far to the west of their base. We found it and went in. We came across a couple of clones of Jenny, but we knew they weren't the real one. We found her and freed her."

Jenny spoke next. "They got me out of the room, but my powers were still suppressed and we had to fight our way out. Tommy morphed into the White Ninja Ranger during the battle. Gambit had a key that would remove the collar and he fought his way over to us and removed it. Unfortunately, all the powers that had been suppressed had to go somewhere. I kept them under control as much as I could so that they could get out."

Tommy swallowed hard at the memory. "Hardest thing I've ever had to do - leave someone behind while I ran. We were barely clear of the building when it started to collapse. I was told there was nothing we could do except hope that one of her power surges could save her. The falcon had told me some time before that I had never explored all the powers of the Ninjetti. I called on the power of the falcon and sent him to her. He returned and told me that he couldn't help her without destroying both him and me and if she suppressed the powers any more she would be destroyed. He carried another message to her and returned with one saying if the rest of us could get far enough away that she could let it go without hurting any of us. We took off and I sent the falcon once more to tell her that we were clear. Then she let it go."

"I had just about given up" Jenny said "when the falcon returned and told me that everyone was clear and I could let it go. He told me that when he disappeared, he would be safe. I watched him fade away and let it all go. I've never felt anything like it before. The last thing I remember was the falcon's voice telling me to trust him and everything would be all right."

"It was crazy. The powers affected the area for a mile around. Eventually, she exploded from the center of the rubble and Rogue brought her to the Blackbird. Hank examined her and said that she had slipped into a coma like state. Late the next day, she woke up."

Jenny nodded. "The falcon had been siphoning off some of the power so that I didn't have to go through it all."

Tommy frowned. "I wonder where the power went that he took from you."

Jenny frowned as well. "I don't know. Have you asked him?"

"No. Between you getting better, the bar fight, you morphing into me, the whole Danger room thing and having to hurry back, I forgot."

"We'll hear the rest of that story later" Hayley said. "Why don't you ask him now?"

Tommy sighed and closed his eyes. A minute later, he heard the voice of the falcon. "What is it, my brother?"

"What happened to the power that you got from Jenny?"

"It has been stored in the grid. It can be accessed in a time of great need, but only by you or her."

"What do you know of her Ranger powers?"

"Astral projection. With practice, she can pass her astral self off as the real one."

"Why can I hear her better than Kira can?"

The falcon cocked his head. "Partially because she needs practice but mostly because of me - and the bond you share."

"What?"

"Because the two of you are bonded, either of you can call me, but only you can truly command me."

"Bonded?"

"You sent me to her to save her even though I might never have come back. I am a part of you that you were willing to let die to save her. That connected you to her through me. Your souls were already linked or you would not have found her in the first place. It is also through this link that you are able to hear each other's thoughts. This, too, will require practice. Right now, you can only do it over short distances and with a lot of concentration. She can do it more easily because she has that power in the other world."

Tommy thought about this for a minute and nodded. "I understand. Thank you."

Tommy opened his eyes and looked at the others. "The power is stored in the morphing grid."

"That's a good place for it" commented Jenny. "What else did you find out?"

"The falcon said that - with practice - you would be able to pass off your astral self as your real self."

"Then once I'm better, I'm going to practice all I can" she vowed. "The sooner I can master it, the better."

"We should probably let you get some rest then" Hayley suggested. "Actually, all of us. There is still a monster out there. The good news is that today is only Saturday."

Everyone agreed and left. Tommy and Jenny went upstairs. Jenny yawned and Tommy suggested that she get some sleep. Without a word, she headed for her room. Tommy turned on the TV and stretched out on the couch. In minutes, he was asleep.

Around midnight, he woke up. He stretched and headed for the kitchen. He blinked at the sight before him. Jenny was at the kitchen table and surrounded by papers, muttering to herself. He crossed the room and rested his hand on her shoulder. He noticed that her fever was back, but he realized that it was not dangerously high like the day before.

"Sweetheart, are you okay?" he asked, concerned.

"Busy" was her only answer. He frowned and looked at the papers she had spread out. There were sketches and figures all over. He studied the pages, but couldn't figure out what she was doing. He got them both something to drink and settled in one of the other chairs. After a few minutes, he tried again.

"What are you working on?"

"Huh?"

He repeated the question and this time, she answered. "Teleporter. Rangers need it."

"Can't you work on that when you're better?"

"No. Don't wanna forget anything." She picked up the water he had given her and drank thirstily. As she put the drink down, she froze and stared at one of the sheets. She grabbed it and looked it over and then grabbed her pen and made changes to the sheet, muttering all the while. "Wrong value there. If x over y then r times s divided by q equals t plus a subdivided by f plus l minus b. That's the mistake. It's not minus a - it's minus b. That changes all the rest of this."

She worked feverishly for several more minutes. Finally, she put the pen down and straightened up. She looked at Tommy, confused. "When did you get here?"

Warily, Tommy looked at her. "Where?"

Tiredly, she responded, "In the kitchen."

Tommy was relieved. "I thought your fever was back and you were hallucinating again. I've been here maybe fifteen minutes."

"Oh." Jenny folded her arms on the table and rested her head on them.

"Are you okay?"

Her voice was muffled. "I'm really tired, Tommy. I feel awful."

"Let's get you back into bed."

"Too far."

"I'll help you." Tommy stood, helped Jenny to her feet and to the bedroom. He got her back in bed; the covers pulled up and had turned to leave when she grabbed his hand.

"I'm sorry you have to take care of me" she said. "It's not fair to you."

Tommy leaned down and kissed her forehead. "I don't mind. It's something you do for someone you love. I'll be on the couch if you need me."

Tommy left the room and went back to the kitchen. He looked over the papers and wondered if it could actually work. This kind of thing was Billy and Hayley's area, not his. He decided to ask Hayley about it later. With a yawn, he went back to the couch to lie down. Nothing could be done at this hour anyway.


	6. Chapter 6

**Eight A.M. - Sunday**

Tommy was up and in the kitchen and had already checked on Jenny when his communicator went off. He sighed. "Go ahead."

"We could use a little help down by the Cybercafe" Conner's voice told him. "Hayley's already on her way to stay with Jenny and monitor things."

"On my way."

He flew down to the lair. He morphed and jumped on his ATV and headed for town. When he arrived, he saw that the other Rangers were morphed as well, but severely out numbered. He leapt into action, taking down Tyrannodrones left and right. Ethan and Conner were keeping Copycat at bay as best they could. With Tommy's help, the rest of the Tyrannodrones were defeated and all that was left was Copycat. The five of them stood together and Tommy said, "All right, guys, just like we practiced. Spread out."

They moved apart and Conner moved first, running in and throwing a punch. Copycat deflected it, but Trent tagged him with a kick to the gut. Kira hit him with a flying kick to the head and Ethan kicked his legs out from under him. As Copycat rose, Tommy hit him with a double punch to the chest. They all grouped together and Conner called out, "Let's do it, guys!"

They assembled the Z-Rex blaster and fired. The monster went down in a spectacular display of sparks and exploded. To no one's surprise, the monster grew. They called the Zords and brought them together. Surprisingly, Copycat went down fairly easily and this time, he stayed down. The Rangers all returned to the lair and powered down.

Tommy looked at the teens. "Good job guys. With any luck, we'll have a few days before Mesagog hits us with a new monster."

Kira looked at Conner. "I thought you told Dr. O that Hayley was coming. Where is she?"

They all looked around and realized that the brunette was not in the lair. They looked at Conner. "She said she was coming straight here! Honest!"

"Maybe she's upstairs" Trent said calmly. There were several possibilities, not the least of which was that Hayley had been captured. They all headed for the upper levels. They found Hayley sitting in the living room, typing furiously on a laptop.

"What are you doing up here?" Tommy asked her.

"I'm up here to keep an eye on Jenny" she answered, her eyes never leaving the screen. "I've linked this computer to the ones in the lair so that I could still monitor the battle. If I dared put any kind of range to it, I could monitor battles from anywhere. But I don't want someone to be able to track the signal. Right now, if someone tried to trace the signal, it would just look like I'm using a wireless signal. For all they know, I could be on the Internet."

Tommy smiled. "Good job, Hayley." He turned to the others. "Okay, guys. The monster is defeated so I'll give you a choice. We can either have practice or you can have the day off."

Conner immediately voted for a day off, as did Ethan and Trent. Kira hesitated. "Dr. O, do you mind if I work out for a while before I go home?"

"Not at all, Kira. You guys can go home. Kira, you can work out in the backyard or the lair, whichever you want."

Kira headed for the lair and the boys left. Hayley addressed Tommy. "I checked on Jenny and she's sleeping. I think you should check on Kira."

"Why?"

"I can't tell you. What she told me was in confidence and I won't break it. Just trust me."

Without another word, Tommy turned and headed for the lair. He sat down on the stairs in a shadow and watched Kira for a while. She was practicing punches and kicks. Over and over, she went through the moves, moving as hard and fast as she could. She tried for a spin kick, lost her balance and fell. She began punching the mat and swearing in frustration.

"Damn it! Why can't I nail that damn kick?"

Tommy finally spoke. His voice was quiet, but carried to her quite clearly. "Maybe because you're trying too hard."

Kira nearly jumped out of her skin. She looked around the lair and finally spotted him on the stairs. "How long have you been there?"

"Long enough" he answered. He stood, crossed over to her and gave her a hand up. "Now, what's going on with you?"

"Nothing." Tommy folded his arms and looked at her, waiting. Finally, she answered him. "I heard the guys talking the other day. They seem to think that they have to protect me because I'm a girl. What's the point of being a Ranger if they have to protect me? It's bad enough I'm the only girl on the team-"

"Jenny's a Ranger, too" Tommy pointed out.

"Yeah, but she's a woman and she's already done the hero thing. She's got a grip on this just like you have. I'm just trying to not be a liability. If the guys are busy protecting me, they aren't doing their jobs. I have to be better than they are so they'll stop."

"That's enough" Tommy commanded. She looked at him, surprised. He didn't often use that tone with any of them. He continued, "First of all, Jenny has never been a Ranger before and she still hasn't morphed. She still has to learn this too. Yes, she was a hero in the other world, but guess what? Things are different here and she has to cope with that. Second, you are NOT a liability. You're as good a fighter as they are. As far as their attitude goes, I'll have a talk with them. I've known female Rangers in my time and, yeah, as guys, we want to protect the girls. Not because they're girls, but because they were our friends and hadn't been trained in the martial arts. Of the original six, Zack, Jason and I tended to protect Kim, Trini and Billy. Trini knew some martial arts, but was nowhere near Jason's and my level. Billy was Ethan and Hayley combined - no martial arts at all, but he could build a gadget to do almost anything. But when the chips were down, more than once, the girls were the ones who saved _us_."

Kira stared at him and he grinned at her. "I'm going to tell you a little secret, but if you tell anyone, I'll deny I ever said it. Teenage boys are stupid when they have power. They tend to rush headlong into a fight, thinking that they can win just because they have powers. That's when the girls would save us - because they stood back a little and saw what we were in too much of a hurry to see, weak points, what was working and what didn't. Sometimes winning a battle isn't about who is strongest or fastest. Sometimes it's just about noticing the right things. Just between you and me, I wouldn't have gone out of my way to make them mad. There is nothing that evil could dream up that would be worse than a pissed off Pink or Yellow Ranger."

Kira thought about what he said. Finally, she smiled. "You won't tell them I told you?"

Tommy shook his head. "I'll tell them that I noticed it in battle or watching the tapes or something. Maybe I'll get Hayley to help me and say that she told me. I'll think of something, but I won't tell them."

"Thanks Dr. O. Since you're down here, can you help me with that spin kick?"

Tommy nodded and worked with Kira. A while later, Kira's phone rang. She answered it, had a brief conversation and hung up. "It's my mom. I have to go. I forgot we have to go to a wake today."

Tommy nodded. "I'll see you later. Think about what I said, okay?"

Kira nodded and headed for the exit. As she waited for the door to open, she mentioned, "You know, it would be kind of cool to meet the former Rangers."

"You never know, it might happen. Be careful out there." After Kira departed and the door had closed firmly behind her, Tommy went back up stairs. As he came into the living room, Hayley looked up.

"And?"

Tommy sighed. "Boys will be boys, but I'll talk to them. I want to look at some of our battle tapes."

Hayley nodded and started pulling up files for him to look at. An hour later, he had to admit that Kira had a point. There were times that the guys went out of their way to protect her. But what she didn't realize was that there were times that they didn't. Trent was by far the worst one about protecting her.

Tommy was surprised to realize that there were many times that he himself had done it, not just to her, but to all of them. How many times had he taken on Zeltrax alone and left them fighting Tyrannodrones? Could Zeltrax have been defeated by now if he had just let them help? Of course, it didn't help that Zeltrax seemed to have a personal grudge against him.

Hayley glanced at the clock. "I have to go. I've got to open the Cybercafe."

Tommy looked at the clock as well and discovered that it was noon. "I'll see you later Hayley."

Hayley left and Tommy went to check on Jenny. He found her curled up tightly with the covers pulled over her head. Her breathing was slow and even. He knew that she was still sleeping and left her alone. Tommy grabbed some papers he needed to grade and settled in.

Several hours later, he was finally finished. He stood, stretched and checked on Jenny again. She didn't appear to have moved an inch. He thought fleetingly of a caterpillar in its cocoon, turning into a butterfly. He chuckled to himself briefly and then stopped suddenly. He remembered what Jenny had told Ethan. 'In a few days, I'll look like that again.' She had even said something similar to him. 'I look completely different in the two worlds.' Instantly, he _knew_. In essence, that's exactly what was going on. She was reverting to her true self.

He took a deep breath and left the room. He knew that if you disturbed a caterpillar while it was changing, it could die. He wasn't willing to take a chance with Jenny. He doubted it would kill her, but who knew what could happen? He had no idea how long she would stay like this, but if he had to, he would call off work tomorrow - or at the very least, ask Hayley to come by in the morning and leave work early.


	7. Chapter 7

****

A/N: Sorry, sorry, sorry! I know it has been a long time since I updated. My only excuse is I've been caught up in writing this other story. I'll try to update more often. If it's more than a week between updates, feel free to email or PM me and remind me. Trust me - I won't be offended! If there's anyone left reading this story, let me know what you think.

5 A.M. - Monday morning

Jenny opened her eyes. What time was it? It was hot and dark. She realized that she was wrapped up in the covers and fought her way out. She stretched and smiled. She felt normal once more. A quick look in the mirror confirmed it. Swiftly, she dressed, brushed her hair and slipped past a sleeping Tommy into the kitchen. As quietly as she could, she started coffee. As she waited for it to finish brewing, she began to stretch.

When it had finished, she poured two mugs and went to wake Tommy. She set both mugs on the coffee table and shook him gently. "Wake up, Handsome."

Tommy, still asleep, mumbled, "Go away, Kim. I'm still sleeping."

Jenny's mouth fell open. What the hell? She shook him harder. "Tommy, wake up."

He pulled the blanket over his head. "I don't want to go to school today, Mom."

Jenny grinned mischievously. She leaned over and whispered in his ear, "Ooh, baby, do that again. I love it when you do that."

Tommy groaned in his sleep and turned onto his back. She whispered in his ear again. "Say my name."

She held her breath. Would he answer? Whose name would he say?

"Don't tease me. Touch me too, sweetheart" he moaned.

"Say my name first."

She missed the smirk that crossed his face. "But, Bev, that's not fair. Jenny might catch us."

Jenny pulled back, stunned. Tommy started to laugh. "Did you really think I would be able to sleep through your sexy voice saying those things in my ear?"

Jenny smacked his arm. Once he sat up, she handed him his coffee, grabbed hers and sat down. "I wouldn't have done it if you hadn't called me Kim."

Tommy's cup stopped halfway to his mouth. "I did what?"

"I tried to wake you up and you said, 'Go away, Kim. I'm still sleeping'."

Tommy frowned and took a sip of coffee. "What did you say when you tried to wake me?"

"Wake up, Handsome."

Tommy almost choked on his coffee. "That would do it. That was _her_ nickname for me."

"Oh." Jenny made a mental note never to call him that again.

He frowned. "I was dreaming about the original Command Center. I was looking for something."

"What was it?"

He took another swallow of his coffee. "I'm not sure." Suddenly, his brain kicked fully into gear. "Hey, how are you feeling?"

She smiled. "Normal. Maybe your dream is telling you something."

"Maybe not. I might have had the dream because of what you were working on last night."

Jenny's brow furrowed and then memory returned. "The teleporter. I'll look at that later. You need to get up if we're going to work out before you have to get ready for work."

"Are you up to it?"

"I'm almost like I was before I went back there. Get a move on." Ten minutes later, the pair headed out the back door to start their run. They had returned and were sparring when a voice hailed them.

"Good morning!" The pair looked over to see Hayley standing on the deck.

"Be with you in a minute, Hayley!" Jenny answered. "I'm just about to beat him."

"I don't think so" Tommy answered, grinning as he threw a punch. They traded punches for another minute and then Tommy swept Jenny's feet out from under her. She cried out as she hit the ground. Immediately, he dropped his stance - and his guard. "Are you okay?"

"Fine" she replied. As quickly as she could, she rolled over and kicked his feet out from under him. She kicked up to her feet and grinned down at him. "Sucker."

Tommy laughed, took her proffered hand and pulled himself up. Together, they made their way up to the deck. Hayley smiled at the pair. "You're obviously feeling better, Jenny."

Jenny nodded. "I assume you were coming to keep an eye on me, but it's not necessary."

"That's good. Tommy, you need to get going if you're going to work."

Tommy nodded. "I need to keep an eye on Principal Randall." He headed into the house to shower and get ready.

Hayley agreed. "If I'm not needed, I have to get down to the Cybercafe and get ready for inventory."

Jenny frowned. "I'm sorry you got behind because of me. Do you need any help?"

"First of all, I'm not behind. Second of all, it's not your fault. Third, I could use a little help in a couple of days."

Jenny grinned. "Just let me know."

"I'll see you later" Hayley said and left.

Jenny grabbed a quick shower and saw Tommy on his way out. "Wait a minute" she said. She hurried over to him. "I just want to tell you goodbye properly."

She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him thoroughly. She knew exactly what she was doing to him. She pulled back and said brightly, "Have a good day, honey."

"You'll pay for that later" Tommy promised as he tried to get the images out of his head that the kiss had invoked.

"I hope so." After he left, Jenny went into the kitchen and looked over her notes from the night before. She had no idea where the idea had come from, but she thought it could work. Making a quick decision, she scooped up all her notes and headed for the lair.

Whenever Tommy had any free time, all he could do was think about Jenny. Of course, the steamy kiss she planted on him right before he left the house didn't help. Even when he wasn't thinking about the kiss, he still thought about her. On impulse, he told the Rangers that practice was cancelled for the day.

On the drive home, he debated how to get her back for the kiss. He got home and walked into the house. The house was quiet. As he headed for the kitchen, he called out, "I'm home!" Silence answered him. He looked out in the backyard, in all the rooms and finally found her in the lair. He loosened his tie as he watched her. She was hunched over the worktable with her back to him. Tommy smiled as he crossed the space between them. He spoke quietly so that he wouldn't startle her. "I'm home."

Jenny put down the parts she had been working on and turned to him. "What's wrong?"

Tommy was puzzled. "What do you mean? This is when I get home."

Jenny spun around, grabbed her watch off the table and checked it. "Oh my god. I can't believe it's that late already. I was going to start dinner an hour ago!"

"Relax. We'll figure something out. What were you working on?"

"The teleporter. I looked over my notes this morning and I realized that it was completely workable so I got working on it. I better put this up before the kids get here."

"I'll tell you what. You go ahead and put that up. After that, if you're ready, we can move your things into my room."

"But what about the kids?"

"Unless Mesagog sends down a new monster, we have the evening to ourselves."

A smile crept across her face. "Practice?"

"Cancelled."

"Give me five minutes and I'll be upstairs" she promised.

He leaned in close to her and stopped with his lips a breath away from hers. "I'll be waiting." He pulled back and headed up the stairs. She stared after him until he was out of sight and then turned her attention to the table. She began to clear away her work as quickly as she could. Three minutes later, she flew up the stairs.

When she reached the top of the stairs, Jenny could hear Tommy talking to someone. She closed the door quietly and followed the sound of his voice to the kitchen. He was leaned against the counter, talking on the phone.

"No problem, bro, you can stay here. It'll be great to see you. Okay, I'll talk to you later. Bye." He hung up and looked at Jenny. "Jason's on vacation and has been traveling around, visiting former Rangers. He'll be in town later this week."

"It'll be nice to see him again."

"You don't mind that I said he could stay here, do you?"

Jenny looked at him strangely. "Tommy, it's your house. You can have whoever you want stay here."

"You live here too. If you're not comfortable with it, I can call him back."

Jenny waved it away. "He's your best friend and it's still your house. I live here, yes, but it's not a problem unless I'm about to be kicked out. Or unless you have a problem with him knowing I live here?"

"No, you aren't and no, I don't. One of my roommates at college had a girlfriend that refused to move into the apartment because she was worried about what people would think of her."

Jenny burst out laughing. "Have you ever known me to be worried about what the general public thinks of me?"

"No" he agreed "but this isn't the general public, is it?"

"No" she said firmly "it isn't. It's Jason. And the only question that remains in my mind is - do you want to wait to move my stuff to your room until after he visits?"

"Of course not - unless you want to?"

Jenny sighed in frustration. "Enough of this. We're adults and we're acting like teenagers on our first date. I'm going to be completely honest about this and I expect you to do the same. I don't care in the least that you invited Jason to stay here while he's in town. Unless you two are going to be sharing a bed, it's not a problem. I still want to move into your room with you, but if you won't be comfortable with it, say so. I'm not going to go ballistic on you and say that you don't love me or anything. Just tell me what you want."

"I want you. I want you to move into my room. I want you to be comfortable with whatever we do. I don't want you thinking in terms of 'it's his house'. As far as I'm concerned, it's _our_ house now. And no, Jason and I aren't going to be sharing a bed. I don't think my bed will hold three people and I definitely want _you_ in it."

Jenny blushed. "Well, I guess that's settled then. Why don't you start making room for my stuff and I'll throw dinner in the oven."

"No. You start gathering your stuff to move and I'll make room. After that, maybe we'll go out for dinner."

Jenny smiled and nodded before she headed for her room. Tommy watched her go and bounded up the stairs, whistling. An hour and a half later, the job was done. Jenny made a mental note to wash the bed sheets the next morning and remake it for Jason's visit at the end of the week. She took one last look around the room to make sure she hadn't forgotten anything. Strong arms slid around her waist. She took a deep breath and recognized Tommy's scent and leaned back against him. He pressed a quick kiss to her temple and said, "Got everything?"

She nodded. "Of course, it's not like we're at a hotel or anything. If I forgot something, it's right here."

"Then let's go get some dinner and then we can relax for the night." Jenny smiled once more and they went to grab a bite to eat.

They returned two hours later, laughing and holding hands. As soon as the door was shut and locked, Tommy took her in his arms and kissed her soundly. She responded immediately. When he finally broke the kiss, he said, "I've wanted to do that all day."

She shivered as his voice deepened and caressed her spine. Something about that pitch never failed to do wonderful things to her system. She found her voice. "They say that paybacks are a bitch."

"Not this time" he said. He kissed her again and again. Finally, he whispered in her ear, "Do you want to go upstairs?"

"Yes" she breathed back. He smiled, took her hand and together they went upstairs to their room.

They stepped into the room and Tommy shut the door. He turned and gathered her in his arms. He realized that she was trembling. "Are you okay?" he asked softly.

"Yeah, just a little nervous - and excited. It's been a while."

"Would it make you feel better if I told you I feel the same way?"

Jenny gave a shaky laugh. "Do you really?"

"God, yes. I want you so much, but I'm afraid of screwing it up."

His admission made her feel much better. It also gave her an idea. "We both just need to relax." She tilted her head back and looked up at him. "No pressure. If it doesn't happen tonight, then it doesn't. It's not like this is our only chance."

He smiled. "No, it's not" he agreed.

"Let's change into something more comfortable that we can sleep in. Then we'll see what happens." He agreed and she went to the dresser, grabbed a long sleep shirt and headed for the bathroom. When she came out ten minutes later, he had changed into sleep pants and a tank top and was turning down the covers. Her eyes narrowed as she noticed that he was moving a little stiffly. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, why?"

"You're moving awfully stiffly" she pointed out. "Why?"

"Yesterday, we battled Copycat. We beat him, but we took a beating in the process. Your idea worked perfectly, by the way."

She sighed. "Missed out on another one. Sit there." She pointed at a spot at the end of the bed.

He did as she asked and she knelt behind him. She began to rub his shoulders, digging her thumbs deep into the muscle to relieve the tight spots. He groaned and dropped his head forward and let her work. She did his shoulders and neck and began to work her way down his back. She stopped, flexed her hands and said, "Now, lay down."

He lay down as she directed. She straddled his thighs and began to work on his lower back. He sighed in pleasure and relaxed. When she felt he had relaxed enough, she trailed her fingers along his spine. She frowned, put the heel of her hand about midway down his back and set her other hand on top, lacing her fingers together and locking her elbows. Without warning, she threw her body weight against her hands and Tommy gasped as he felt his spine pop in a half a dozen places. By the time he realized what she had done, she had returned to massaging his back. He sighed again. "Where did you learn that?" he asked.

"What?"

"Spine adjustment."

"Other world." She turned her attention to the small of his back.

"What about the massage thing?"

She frowned. "That's just something I've always been able to do. I just know somehow what to do and how." A couple of minutes later, she said, "See how that feels."

Tommy stood and stretched in all directions. She tried not to stare at his lithe form as he twisted, turned, bent, flexed and stretched. She swallowed hard as he straightened once more. "Aw, man, that's awesome. Thanks."

Jenny shrugged and then grinned. "No problem. It gave me an excuse to put my hands on that hot bod of yours" she said flippantly.

He smiled slowly. His voice turned husky as he said, "Oh, really? Does it work the other way, too?"

Jenny's breath caught in her throat and she shivered again. Tommy noticed and made a mental note as his grin widened. He continued, "It's not like you actually need an excuse."

He was pleased to see the effect he could have on her - and he was just _talking_! He sat next to her on the bed half facing her. He reached over and gently trailed his fingers down the side of her face and neck as he said, "After all, I'm yours and you're mine."

At those words and touch, Jenny let go of her self-control once and for all. Before Tommy knew how it happened, she pushed him over on his back, straddled his hips and kissed him hard. He immediately responded and ran the tip of his tongue along her lips, which opened for him.

Their moans mingled as their tongues dueled. Jenny broke the kiss and pulled his shirt up. She feathered kisses over his torso as he pulled the shirt off and dropped it on the floor. She ran her tongue over his nipples and he inhaled sharply. She could feel his flesh swelling beneath her.

Tommy slid his hands up her thighs and under her shirt. It was only after he reached her ribcage that something registered and he paused. His hands traveled to her back and down to her buttocks to confirm. _She wasn't wearing any underwear!_ His blood pounded in his ears. He thrust up against her. Her moan was music to his ears so he did it again. He pushed her shirt up and pulled it off. He stopped and stared. She sat astride him, completely nude.

Finally, he spoke. "God, you're beautiful" he said reverently. She smiled, reached up and took out the clip that held her hair back. Dark blond hair cascaded in waves and he felt his blood surge again.

She whispered, "I think one of us has too many clothes on." She got off him and pulled his sleep pants off and stared. The glimpses she had gotten in the starlight and moonlight hadn't done justice to him. She stared at him and, for a moment, thought her heart stopped. She slid her hands up his thighs, stopping just short of his swollen flesh. "What good have I done to deserve you?" she whispered.

Tommy frowned briefly and filed that comment away in his memory for another time. His attention was completely diverted when she took him in hand and gently stroked the satiny flesh. When she spoke again, her voice was heavy with desire. "Please tell me you have something this time."

"Nightstand" was all he could manage. Jenny released him and leaned across him and pulled the drawer open. Tommy took advantage of the situation and locked one arm around her waist. He ran his tongue over the nipple before him as his other hand found and caressed the sensitive flesh between her legs. She sucked in a breath and then moaned. She gritted her teeth and grabbed a small packet from the drawer. She shoved it mostly closed before her back arched in pleasure. He had switched to suckling gently and was stroking her most sensitive area.

Jenny reached around and once more took his length in hand. He moaned against her soft flesh and she gasped. He released her from his mouth, but kept his hands busy as she tore open the package with her teeth, totally unwilling to release him. In another minute, he was ready and she straddled him once more. She adjusted him and began to slowly take him in. The pair locked eyes as she lowered herself inch by inch.

Tommy could not believe how snugly she fit around him. He'd never felt anything like it. As she took him inside her, he allowed his hands to roam. Jenny, for her part, couldn't believe how big he felt. She knew how long it had been since she had been with anyone intimately, but she doubted that could account for the size difference. She didn't stop until he was completely enveloped in her heat. They both moaned as she paused to let her body adjust.

"God, you are so tight" Tommy moaned.

"No" she answered. "You're just that - um - well-endowed."

Tommy's eyes narrowed. He suddenly pulled her down to his chest and rolled them, putting him on top. The movement caused him to shift inside her and she drew in a shaky breath. He propped himself up on his forearms and locked eyes with her once more. "If you can use big words," he growled "then we're not doing something right."

He began to move slowly, pulling almost all the way out before pushing back in. Jenny swore she could feel every vein and muscle of his turgid length. She wasn't sure when in her mind they went from 'having sex' to 'making love', but there was no doubt in her mind that that's what they were doing. Tommy dipped his head down and kissed her. As she responded, he began to move a little faster. Her hands began caressing him as her hips began to move. Soon, they found a rhythm that pleased them both and they moved even faster.

Tommy realized that she was close, but he knew that he was too. He moved as hard and fast as he dared. Their rhythm broke when she did. "Oh god - Tommy!" she cried out. Her back arched and he could feel her inner muscles clamp down on him. That was all it took to send him over the edge with her. With a roar that would have rivaled the dinosaurs, he reached his climax. When his muscles finally relaxed, he dropped his forehead onto her shoulder, desperately trying to catch his breath.

Several minutes later, he raised his head and looked at her. She smiled at him, but he could see the anxiety in her eyes. He kissed her gently and said quietly, "I love you."

He was pleased to see the smile reach her eyes as she answered just as quietly, "I love you too."

Carefully, he pulled out of her and went to clean up, grabbing his sleep pants on the way. When he returned, Jenny had pulled her sleep shirt back on and had straightened the bed. They both climbed in and snuggled up together, spooning her back to his front and his arms around her. They talked quietly for a while before they fell asleep.


	8. Chapter 8

****

A/N: Here's a long chapter to make up for the long time it's been since I updated last.

Tuesday

They woke to the alarm the next morning. Tommy slapped the snooze and snuggled up to the warm body beside him. He inhaled her scent and sighed happily. He knew they had to get up soon, but it was tempting to stay here with her all day. When the alarm went off again, he rolled over and turned it off properly.

Jenny stretched and her breath caught in her throat. Several muscles were stiff and sore - muscles that hadn't been used in a long time. She got up slowly and made her way to the bathroom, took care of morning business and went back to the bedroom to get dressed while Tommy had his turn.

Ten minutes later, she was dressed, had started coffee and went back to the room to brush her hair. Tommy had lain back down on the bed. He wasn't asleep, but he was close. He looked at her, his eyes half open. "Morning, sweetheart."

"Good morning. Are you getting up or are you going to stay there all day?"

"Depends. Are you going to stay with me?"

Jenny smiled and sat on the bed next to him. "I'd love nothing better, but you have to go to work and I have things to do too."

"I know, but I was hoping to convince you to play hooky with me today." His eyes drifted shut.

"I'd like nothing better, but somehow, I have the feeling that today is not the day."

Tommy opened his eyes again. "What do you mean?"

She frowned. "I'm not sure. I just have the feeling that we need to be where we're supposed to be today."

Tommy considered this for a minute. "All right, but you owe me a hooky day."

Jenny laughed, her eyes sparkling. "Deal. Now coffee is brewing and we have a workout to do."

As Tommy dressed, Jenny brushed and put up her hair. Two hours later, Tommy was heading for the door when he stopped suddenly. He realized that he was getting the same feeling that Jenny had mentioned earlier. He frowned for a moment and shook it off. Jenny saw his frown as she stepped into the room.

"What's wrong?" she asked anxiously.

"Nothing" he answered her. "But now I'm getting the same feeling you had earlier."

Jenny considered this and nodded. "Then you need to go." She gave him a quick, but loving kiss. "I'll be good today, so that you can stay alert to potential problems. Call me if you need me."

"I will." With that, Tommy left the house. Jenny grabbed her cell phone and, as she headed for the lair, set the alarm on it. She decided was going to take a break at noon and then she'd reset the alarm so that she would stop work early enough. She knew that Tommy took his responsibilities seriously enough that he wouldn't cancel practice two days in a row without good reason. Jenny grabbed her things and got to work.

****

Later

Jenny stretched. She had been working nonstop on one of the small components of the device since she entered the lair. She was completely engrossed in it and was startled when her phone rang. She frowned. It wasn't the alarm ringer and it wasn't any of the ones she had programmed for Tommy and the Rangers. She glanced at the display. It read 'Crystal'. She answered the phone.

"Hey you, what's up?" she greeted her friend and attorney. Jenny listened, stunned at first and then excited as Crystal spoke. "Are you serious? That's fantastic! You'll handle the rest of the details, right? I'll sign them and get them back to you as fast as I can. Thanks a lot! Okay, I'll talk to you later. Bye!"

Jenny hung up the phone and hugged herself. The nightmare part of her life was nearly over! She had to tell Tommy. She realized that she wasn't sure of his class schedule, but she did know that he would be on his lunch break soon. Inspiration struck. She'd just drive over to the school and meet him for lunch and tell him the good news. She flew up the stairs, changed her clothes, brushed her hair, grabbed her keys and phone and flew out the door. She didn't realize that she had left her morpher behind.

At the school, Jenny parked and hopped out of the car. It was a beautiful day so she decided to check the quad first in hopes that he was outside. She glanced around and saw the Rangers - except Tommy - gathered at a table. She approached them. "Hey, guys. Have you seen Dr. O?"

The Rangers greeted her and Trent pointed. "He's over there." Jenny's grin widened and she headed towards him, telling the teens that she would see them later.

Tommy was looking over some papers when a shadow fell across them. He looked up. "Jenny? What are you doing here? Is something wrong?"

She laughed and Tommy relaxed. "No, everything's right. I got a call from Crystal."

Tommy quickly shoved the pages into a pile and stuffed the whole pile into his briefcase. He turned his full attention to her. "What did she say?"

"You remember I told you that my ex has been going after the money I won after my daughter died?" He nodded. "She called today to tell me that it's over. They went in front of the judge this morning and she showed the judge how much money I've had to spend fighting him. The judge was totally pissed off and slapped him and his family with a restraining order forbidding any of them to bring any more suits against me that relate in any way to that money or her death."

Tommy surged to his feet, grabbed Jenny and spun her around. "Yes! Justice prevails!"

"Wait, it gets better. Apparently, my ex forgot who he was talking to and started swearing at the judge. The judge warned him, but he kept it up anyway. So the judge cited him for contempt of court and gave him thirty days in jail. Judge said that it would give him a taste of what it would be like if he broke the restraining order. Not only that, but if any of them break it - he's the one that goes to jail. AND Crystal filed a countersuit for all the money that's been spent and won that too. He has to pay back every dime!"

Tommy laughed and spun her again. "That's fantastic!"

Jenny laughed too. "I know! The nightmare is almost over! Crystal has arranged it so that the payments go through her office so I'll never have to deal with the jerk again!"

Tommy set her on her feet and was going to kiss her when he saw a flash behind her. Screams erupted in the courtyard and the pair spun toward the source of the noise. Tyrannodrones seemed to be everywhere. A quick look around showed Trent and Kira clearing the other students out of the courtyard while Ethan and Conner were battling. Jenny and Tommy jumped into the fray. Once the other students were clear, Trent and Kira joined the others. Tyrannodrones started falling like dominos. As suddenly as they had appeared, the Tyrannodrones disappeared a few minutes later.

"What the hell was that all about?" Conner wondered.

"I have no idea" answered Kira. Suddenly, Jenny started to grin.

"They're still trying to figure out if I'm a Ranger or not. Not that you'd ever morph for Tyrannodrones…" her voice trailed off. Tommy looked at her, confused. She grimaced and revealed her bare wrist. Tommy frowned.

Suddenly, Conner said, "Who is that?"

They all turned to see where Conner was looking. A well dressed man was striding up the front walk of the school. "He's the Superintendent of Schools" Tommy replied. "He shows up anytime there's been an attack to assess the situation. He decides whether or not to close the school for the rest of the day. Uh oh, here he comes."

The man was now crossing the grass toward them. "Doctor Oliver."

"Superintendent Chambers. Nowhere near as bad as last time. No damage to school property and no one was hurt that I'm aware of. You got here pretty quickly."

"I was actually coming here anyway. Tell me what you know about what happened."

Tommy glanced at his watch. "We have ten minutes before my next class, if you're not closing the school."

"That depends on what you tell me."

"Let's walk and talk." Tommy grabbed his briefcase and the two men walked away. As he held the door for the other man, he shot an apologetic look toward Jenny. She smiled and nodded and turned toward the teens.

"All right, guys. Mesagog is obviously planning something, so stay alert. I'm going back to the lair and -"

Conner interrupted. "Find your morpher?"

"I know where it is, thank you very much. Right now, assume that you're finishing the day and we'll see you later." The teens headed into the building and Jenny headed for her car and went back home. She immediately went down to the lair, grabbed her morpher and put it on.

****

One hour later - Mesagog's lair

"What were you thinking?" Mesagog hissed.

"My Lord" Elsa oozed "I told Zeltrax that the Rangers would never morph for mere Tyrannodrones."

"They would if there were enough" argued Zeltrax.

"Enough" snarled Mesagog. The two fell silent. "Obviously, that wasn't nearly enough. But Elsa's right, they usually only morph for real monsters."

Elsa preened until he continued. "However, she failed in her duties to warn me of your stupid idea. Someone is going to suffer for this. Elsa, you didn't come back when his attempt failed."

"My Lord, I have to maintain my cover. If the principal weren't there when there was an attack, it would raise questions. I had to be seen there."

"True."

"Besides, I have been working on a new monster that will get the results you desire. Not only will it force her to reveal if she is a Ranger or not, it will destroy the Rangers once and for all."

Mesagog stepped close to her. "You had better hope so. I tire of your failures as well."

****

Back at the lair - after school

Jenny had just finished clearing up her work when she felt like someone was watching her. She turned toward the stairs and saw Tommy standing there. She opened her mouth to greet him, but quickly shut it at the look on his face.

"What were you thinking?" he asked. "Why would you just leave your morpher somewhere?"

"I didn't just leave it somewhere; it was here in the lair" she replied, bewildered by his tone.

He strode over to her. "And what if you'd needed it? What if they had stopped you before you got to the school? Even Conner doesn't just leave his morpher lying around!"

Jenny's breath caught in her throat. Tommy was angry - very angry - at her. Before she could speak, Conner's voice came from the other entrance. "Dude, so not cool, using me as an example."

"Don't call me dude" Tommy snapped. He turned his attention back to Jenny. Finally, she spoke.

"I-I'm sorry. I won't let it happen again."

"Good."

Jenny swallowed hard and headed for the stairs. "I'm going to go check on dinner." She went up stairs and didn't return to the lair.

Tommy was running the Rangers through their training when finally Kira spoke. "Dr. O, I think you were a little hard on Jenny."

"We can't afford to be careless, Kira."

"No, we can't, but you can't talk to her like she's one of us, either."

Tommy was confused. "She IS one of us, Kira."

"No, I meant one of us." She waved her hand to encompass herself and the three boys. "She's not a child. She's also not used to having to keep her power source on her. She used to being her own power source."

Tommy absorbed what she said. Ethan spoke up. "You were pretty harsh, Dr. O." The other two nodded in agreement.

"Harsh to whom?" They all turned to see Hayley had come in. She set down the box she was carrying and turned to the Rangers.

"Harsh to who?" she repeated. The teens looked at Tommy and waited to see what he would say.

Hayley's eyes traveled over the group. "Where's Jenny?" she asked.

"Upstairs" Kira told her. "Dr. O, are we done for today?"

Tommy nodded silently. Hayley studied him as the others gathered their things and left. Once they were gone, she sat on a nearby desk. "What happened?"

Tommy paced as he told her what had happened - both at the school and when he got home. Hayley stared at him incredulously. "If you had talked to me like that, I would have slapped you. Especially if you talked to me like that in front of the rest of the team. You're just lucky as hell that she didn't. My guess is there are two reasons why she didn't."

Tommy said, "Two reasons?"

"Well, probably three. One, you were right. Two, she didn't want to undermine your authority. And three, if you're lucky, she realized that she scared the hell out of you."

Tommy ran a shaky hand through his hair. "All I could think about this afternoon was what could have happened."

"But it didn't" Hayley pointed out. "You went overboard, Tommy - way overboard. Even though you were right, you handled it very badly."

"How do I fix it?" he asked helplessly.

"First, you apologize. After that, it's up to you and her." Hayley slid off the desk and headed for the exit. "I'll see you later."

Tommy slowly made his way up the stairs and into the kitchen. Jenny had her back to the door as she stood chopping vegetables. He took a breath and spoke quietly. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have talked to you like that."

"But you were right. I deserved it. It was stupid and irresponsible. Don't worry about it."

The hair on Tommy's neck prickled. Something wasn't right here. She was entirely too calm and accepting. "No. You didn't deserve to be talked to like a child."

"But you weren't wrong. I shouldn't have left it. It would have taken me less than a minute to grab it on my way out and I didn't think about it."

"Look at me." When she didn't move, he said quietly, "Please."

Jenny sighed and set the knife down. Slowly, she turned around and fixed her gaze on the floor as she leaned back against the counter. Tommy's heart sank when he saw her face. The tear tracks he saw there told him all he needed to know. "Honey, I'm sorry."

She shrugged. "You were right and I was wrong. I know better now and it won't happen again. It's done. It's not like I'm throwing things nor having a screaming fit."

"Or crying? I can see that you were."

"I did and now I'm not. I got my feelings hurt. It doesn't matter. What might have happened could have been far worse. You've apologized; it's accepted. Let it go."

"I can't. Something's not right here."

"What's not?"

"You're not acting like yourself. Talk to me, please."

She finally looked up at him. "What the hell do you want me to say, Tommy? You apologized and I said it was okay. What do you want from me?"

"The truth" he said solemnly. "Whatever it is."

"So now you think I'm lying to you?"

"I think you're afraid to say what you really feel. I didn't mean to hurt you, but all I could think about was what might have happened. I'm trying to make it right, but it's hard when I don't know how you're really feeling."

"Fine!" she exploded. "I'm mad as hell! Is that what you wanted to hear? Okay, you were scared and I get that, but guess what? I've been going through that for weeks! You think I'm not scared every time you go out that door? I'm terrified! Either because you're alone and don't have anyone to watch your back or because you're headed out with the Rangers to fight a monster and I know the only reason I'll get called in is if you guys are taking a lot of damage! I survived worse than anything freaking Mesagog can throw at me! The one thing I absolutely cannot handle is losing you. So I get that you were scared, but if you ever talk to me like that again - especially in front of the kids - I will not be responsible for my actions! Do you hear me?"

Tommy's heart broke. He hadn't realized how hard it would be for her to stay behind. He stepped forward and tried to hug her, "Honey, I'm so sorry - I didn't think-"

She shrugged him off. "Don't patronize me. I have been through things that you can't even imagine and every time I get through it, I come out stronger."

"Then tell me" he said. "Tell me about what it was like when you were a prisoner. Tell me how hard it was when you daughter died and your husbands left you. I want to know these things about you, but you won't let me in. Why?"

Jenny clenched her fists and turned her back to him. She couldn't stand crying and, for her, it was worse to cry in front of him. She had to be strong.

Tommy stood there, helpless. He didn't know what to say. He took what he did know about her and imagined if he had gone through it all. An epiphany struck him. "You're afraid I'll leave you, too, aren't you?"

Jenny felt as if a giant fist was squeezing her heart. Pain tore through her soul at the mere thought. Unshed tears swam in her eyes, but she blinked them back. She would NOT cry!

Tommy came up behind her and slid his arms around her waist. He spoke in a low tone. "It's okay to be afraid as long as you don't stop living. It's okay to feel angry, sad, scared, lonely - as long as you don't block the good emotions, too." He felt her start to shake. "And it's okay to cry. Crying doesn't mean that you're weak. You are still strong. Your feelings _do_ matter. And I still love you."

At his words, the dam broke and Jenny started sobbing. All her personal demons had been set free all at once. All the pain and fear and confusion she had never confronted and dealt with boiled to the surface. Tommy held her as she cried. A few tears slid down his face as he realized that she had never really dealt with her daughter's death, her abandonment by her family, and most recently her imprisonment in the other world. He wondered - not for the first time - what had happened to her there. He had asked, but she shrugged and said that it wasn't anything that hadn't happened before and refused to say any more.

A long time later, Jenny finally couldn't cry any more. She was exhausted and her face felt swollen. She couldn't look at Tommy and didn't know what to say. Finally, he spoke. "I think we have a lot of talking to do. Why don't you wash your face and get into some comfortable clothes and I'll get us something to drink and put the food away?"

She nodded and did as he suggested. Ten minutes later, she walked uncertainly into the kitchen. He had set the table, heated some soup and poured glasses of wine. She looked at him curiously.

"I thought it couldn't hurt and I didn't want to get the hard stuff out." She offered him a small smile and sat down.

Once he was seated, she said, "What do you want to know first?"

Tommy weighed his options. Finally, he said, "Why don't you start at the beginning?"

"Well, I already told you about my marriages and what happened with them. Two husbands and they both left me for people I thought were my friends. It hurt and I cried. End part one. Then Rachel died. For days I was numb. I couldn't feel anything. Then when I did start to feel, it was all bad. I wanted revenge. I found out that the bastard that caused the wreck was rich and had bought his way out of jail time. So I hit him where it would hurt him the most - his wallet. When the dust cleared from that little battle, I pretty well owned him lock, stock and barrel."

"How much did you take him for, if I'm not being too nosey?"

She smiled grimly. "Let's just say he works for me now, running the company that used to be his. And he will continue to do so until he pays every penny he owes."

Understanding lit Tommy's face. "Which is why you have an accountant and an attorney at your beck and call."

"Exactly. Every couple of months or so, Marty goes over the books and makes sure everything is as it should be and Crystal makes sure that the company stays legal. Crystal has assured me that even if something happens to me, he still owes the debt to my estate, so my beneficiaries will still get everything that's due to me."

"Which is why you told me to call her if you ended up in that world too long."

Jenny nodded. "She assures me that my will is ironclad so even if my relatives feel like they've been cheated, there's nothing they can do about it."

"Okay, this brings us to your family."

"They still think they know what's best for me and don't know how to let sleeping dogs lie. They seem to think that I was in some kind of a cult or something while I was missing. Not that they ever actually said that, but it was most definitely implied. Sometimes I think that they're afraid that they've been cut out of my will and that they won't see a dime when I die."

Tommy frowned. "You think they're only worried about the money?"

"Come on, like that's never happened before in the history of the world. Besides, they aren't completely cut out. I have two nephews that have very handsome trust funds when they are old enough."

"Okay, so communication has completely broken down and you can't tell your family where you really were because they'll have you committed. But if you have as much money as you're hinting that you do, doesn't that put you in the eccentric category?"

"Crazy but harmless? Probably, but I really don't want to go through the bull that goes with it - or the crap that goes with trying to prove it."

"Now, what about your first visit to the other world?"

Jenny frowned. "It wasn't that bad."

"Jenny -"

"I know, I know." She sighed. "Like Wolverine said, he and I traded blood more times than I care to remember. He has an awesome healing factor, but sometimes it just couldn't keep up. There was one time in particular that was really bad." Her eyes slid out of focus, seeing it again as she continued. "He had so many wounds. I was going to heal him like I did the Rangers, but he wouldn't let me. The weapons used on him had injected poison in his system. If I healed him, I would die and if I didn't he was going to die. His healing factor just couldn't handle both. Plus, the poison wasn't allowing his wounds to close. His system was fighting the poison because it was the more dangerous of the two, but he was bleeding out. The only chance he had was a transfusion and I was the only match. There was a point I thought I was going to die from giving him so much. But all's well that ends well. He and I both obviously made it."

"Did they know about Rachel?"

Jenny stared into her bowl. "Jubilee did. She and I had been at the mall with some of the others when we were attacked by Sentinels. I saw a baby that had been separated from his mother and was about to be crushed. I barely remember saving the child, but Jubilee told me later that when she got to me I was rocking the baby and saying that I wouldn't let another mother go through what I had been through if I could help it. So I made her promise she would never repeat what I was about to tell her and then told her the story. She cried more than I did."

Jenny stood and started to clear her place, but Tommy asked a question that stopped her in her tracks. "Were you kidnapped the first time you were there?"

She hesitated for a minute and then continued to the sink. "Not exactly." She didn't hear Tommy get up and cross the room - she was lost in the memories. He set his dishes on the counter and turned her to face him.

"You're not there, sweetheart. You're here with me. Talk to me."

"I was on a mission with the X-Men and something went wrong. Four of us were captured. Gambit finally was able to free us. We were there only a couple of weeks, but we were slaves." She rubbed her throat unconsciously. "That's why Gambit had a key for the collar I was wearing when you found me. He managed to get one and freed us."

"Which brings us to this last time you went and were captured" Tommy said as he steered her out of the room. He guided her to their bedroom and sat her on the bed.

Jenny closed her eyes for a moment. Those memories were still fresh. She hadn't told anyone what had really happened - and she wasn't sure she could now. "I don't know if I'm ready to talk about it."

He sat next to her. "If not now, when? You've come this far, you might as well finish it."

She sighed heavily. "I was beaten when I resisted and experimented on. They tried to get the security codes for the mansion and the gate out of me. I finally gave them an old one - and I paid for it. Stale bread and stale water for a week."

Tommy's mouth went dry and he saw red. "Experimented on?"

"You know, put stuff in, take stuff out."

"Don't be flip about it" he warned. "Deal with it - get it all out."

"What, you want details? I don't know what all they did. I spent a lot of time stoned. When I wasn't stoned, I was cold. When I wasn't cold, I was tired. And I was always hungry. When I could, I worked out and did what I could to stay sane. By the way, I'd really love it if we could change the exam table in the lair for something else. Metal tables suck."

Tommy froze. "They had metal tables?"

"Yeah."

"That would explain why you were cold."

"That and total nudity. At that point, the body can't generate enough heat to warm that much metal."

"Oh my god." Tommy gritted his teeth. All he wanted to do now was go back to the other world and kill whoever put her through that. Several people would have been preferable. Unhappily, another thought occurred to him. "Did they - rape you?" It was all he could do to say the word.

Jenny was quiet for a long time. "Not as far as I know, but I'm not really sure. As I said, I was stoned a lot of the time when they had me."

Tommy felt his stomach lurch, but fought it down. "All right, I have a question. It's about last night." Startled, she looked at him and waited for him to speak. "Last night you said, 'what good have I done to deserve you'. What did you mean by that?"

Instantly, Jenny blushed bright red and looked away. "I just had a moment of fancy."

Tommy cocked his head and looked at her. "What do you mean?"

Normally good with words, she struggled to explain. "In that moment, you were absolute perfection. Everything I'd ever wanted in a man. Beautiful, strong, sweet, in love with me - perfect."

Now Tommy blushed. "As you learned today, I'm not perfect. Where did that phrase come from?"

Jenny furrowed her brow. "Have you ever seen 'The Sound of Music'?"

"Years ago. Why?"

"There's a song in there that popped in my head at that moment." She began to recite:

"Perhaps I had a wicked childhood,  
Perhaps I had a miserable youth,  
But somewhere in my wicked, miserable past  
There must have been a moment of truth.

For here you are, standing there, loving me  
Whether or not you should.  
So somewhere in my wicked, miserable past  
I must have done something good."

Tommy smiled gently. "You really have no idea, do you?"

"What do you mean?"

Tommy pulled her into his arms. "If nothing else, all the times you covered for us Rangers. We never knew if you knew who we were, but we appreciated it all the same. You helped us more than you know."

She tilted her head up and looked into his eyes. "Really?"

"Really. And that's just one example. Add in all the good you did for the X-Men, your other friends, the current Rangers and so on I think the question is what have I done to deserve you?"

"You're not serious, are you?"

"I'd like to think that all my time as a Ranger is enough, but who's to say?"

Jenny snuggled into his arms and yawned. "Maybe we have to go through enough bad stuff and try to do good anyway to earn the good stuff for ourselves."

"Maybe. Why don't you lie down while I'll grab a quick shower?" Jenny recognized it for the gently phrased command that it was and nodded. She squeezed him, slipped out of his arms and under the covers. Tommy stood and moved around the room gathering things he needed. Before he stepped into the bathroom, he checked on her. She was nearly asleep. He smiled gently and went to take his shower.

An hour later, Tommy was in bed, but he couldn't sleep. Even with all he had seen on the news and as a Ranger, it was still hard for him to believe that people could treat other human beings like Jenny had been treated. As he thought about it, he became aware that Jenny's breathing pattern had changed. Suddenly, Jenny sat up and screamed at the top of her lungs. He realized that she was having a nightmare. He tried to talk to her, but it did no good. She was talking in her sleep, begging someone to stop hurting her and let her go.

In desperation, Tommy opted to try talking to her telepathically. The minute he did, he felt himself being sucked into her head. Suddenly, he blinked. He was standing in the corner of a brightly lit room. People in surgical garb were standing around a table. He moved closer and realized that it was Jenny on the table, strapped down and naked. She was gagged and her eyes stared at the ceiling. One of the figures turned to her with a scalpel in his hand.

Tommy lunged forward to stop him, but stopped a moment later, confused. He had gone right through the other man. He turned and watched helplessly as they cut her arm open. He could hear Jenny's muffled screams through the gag as they opened her flesh and inserted a small device he recognized. It was the tracking device that Hank had removed after they had rescued her. Tommy smiled grimly. That part of their plan hadn't worked. They hadn't been anywhere near the mansion when Hank had discovered it.

Tommy suddenly understood that they had never knocked Jenny out for this, just gave her enough drugs that she couldn't fight them and wouldn't remember what had happened - at least not consciously. As he watched, they sewed her arm shut and began to take samples - hair, skin, blood, tears. They even took samples from her genital area. He whispered shakily, "It's just a dream, Jenny. It's not real anymore."

He moved over by her head. "This is just a dream. You can change it. Be strong."

Slowly, her eyes focused on him. He realized that he felt different. He reached out and touched her face. He realized that he could touch things and looked around quickly. Everybody seemed to have their attention on the other end of the table. His eyes narrowed and he quickly unfastened the gag and the strap holding her head to the table. There was nothing he could do about the collar on her neck. He knew what it could do if he tried to remove it without the key. He had an idea. "Sweetheart, I need the key to get the collar off you."

Her eyes drifted to a nearby tray. He found a key on the tray amongst the surgical equipment. He snatched it up and inserted it in the lock. He bit his lip and whispered, "Remember, it's a dream. You can control the surges."

He waited for the minute nod he was looking for. As he twisted the key, someone shouted, "Who the hell are you and what are you doing?"

Tommy looked up and realized that they could see him - and were coming to stop him. He kicked the nearest one back and with a flick of his wrist popped the collar open. He yanked it from around her neck, spun around and struck someone in the face with it. He continued to fight and knocked out two more before he realized they weren't approaching. They were staring behind him. He turned as well and realized that Jenny was sitting up and her eyes were glowing. She looked at the straps on her wrists and ankles in turn and they tore open. She stood on the table and was surrounded by white fire.

Tommy remembered this from the other world and was about to say something when Jenny spoke. "No more."

The fire seemed to burn brighter. Somehow, Tommy knew that she was burning the dream drugs from her system. She looked at her arm where the device had been implanted. It burst through the stitches and flew into her hand. She crushed it and threw it aside. She turned her attention to her tormentors. A wave of her hand sent three of them flying into the wall. Suddenly, one of the others darted over and hit a switch on the wall. A low hum was heard and immediately the fire around Jenny disappeared.

"Your nullifier will not help you. I can still fight. I am strong. I will not die. You cannot defeat me." She glanced at Tommy, a small smile playing over her lips. "Want to help?"

"You better believe it." The two launched themselves at the others in the room. In minutes, it was over. The room seemed to melt and disappear. A moment later, Tommy found himself in a clearing surrounded by trees. "What the hell?"

Her voice came from behind him. "It's a dream, right? I can do whatever I want." He turned to look at her. She was still naked, but there wasn't a mark on her. She smiled. "I wonder what it would have been like to make love in the other world. Of course, we'll never know unless they need me again. But I think this will do nicely."

She flicked her wrist at him and suddenly, he was naked, too. She pressed her body against his and whispered in his ear, "Do you have any idea how long or how often I've dreamed of you? My favorite was the one where I restrain you with my telekinesis and please you over and over."

Tommy's body reacted to her words. He understood now that she had sides he didn't even know existed, but this surprised him. He couldn't help but ask, "What else?"

"There was one where I teased you until you lost all control. Did you know that everyone has an animal side? Sometimes the beast in all of us just has to take control." Her hands caressed his skin. Jenny was enjoying this dream. She could say things to Dream Tommy that she could never say to the real one. "Of course, there is the one where I'm completely submissive and I have to do whatever you tell me."

Tommy wasn't completely clueless and had heard more than his share of stories in college. "Like a Master-Slave kind of thing?"

"Yes, but completely sexual, not the clean the house, wash the windows kind of thing. Not all the time either - just once in a while. But dreams are nothing compared to reality. When we made love last night, it was better than any dream or fantasy." She knelt in front of him and took him in her mouth. She pulled off him a few strokes later. "You have no idea what all I've dreamed of doing with you - and to you." She took him in her mouth again. This time she didn't stop.

As he got close, he gasped out, "Remind me sometime to tell you about my fantasies with you."

She moaned around his stiff flesh and it sent him over the edge. He opened his eyes to find himself in the bedroom back in his own head. He was hard as a rock and his whole body was tingling. He knew it wouldn't take much to finish him off. Jenny was still asleep, but her hand was resting on that part of him that needed the most attention. He groaned and then gasped. Her hand had started stroking him and a few strokes later, he climaxed, muffling his moans into his pillow.

He caught his breath, slipped out from under her and went to the bathroom to clean up. He slipped back into bed a few minutes later and wrapped his arms around her. As he drifted off, he thought about what she had said and wondered briefly if she knew that he had been there or if she thought it was just a dream.


	9. Chapter 9

****

A/N: Wow - I still have readers! Thanks to all the reviews, I decided to update again. I do have quite a bit written, I just have to remember to update. Here's another large chapter. For a little while, they'll be big chapters encompassing entire days. I mentioned that there is a chapter coming up where Tommy is OOC. It's deliberate and even he knows that he's not acting quite like himself. If anyone thinks that it's a bad idea, let me know. I may just skip that part and just email it to the people that want it. Let me know what you think.

Wednesday

The alarm went off way too early for either of them. As Tommy slapped the thing into silence, Jenny mumbled, "Want to skip our morning workout? You could just reset the alarm."

Tommy answered, "Good idea." He reached over to reset it when the Ranger rose up in him. "We can't."

Jenny groaned. "Why not, Mister I-Want-To-Play-Hooky?"

"I don't know. I just have the feeling we shouldn't."

Jenny sighed. "Okay. I'll go start coffee."

He grabbed her hand before she got out of bed. "I love you."

She smiled at him tiredly. "I love you too."

She left the room and Tommy headed for the bathroom. He was dressing when last night came back to him. He smiled as he realized that most of her fantasies were possible even without powers. But how to do it without her realizing that he knew? He had a feeling that she had no idea that it wasn't all just a dream. She came back into the room and started dressing. He sat and watched her as he turned the problem over in his mind.

Jenny finished dressing and turned to him. "Are you ready to get some coffee and go for our run?"

Tommy nodded. They went for their run. Tommy was pleased to realize that she could make it much further than she could when they first started. Now she could almost do the whole run at his pace. It was taking her less time to recover, too, so their sparring sessions were longer. He still held back somewhat simply because she wasn't at his level, but she was making progress in that area as well. They finished their workout, grabbed showers and Tommy headed for work.

After he left, Jenny headed for the lair. She started toward the teleporter parts, but stopped as an idea came to her. She needed to practice her astral projection and this was the perfect time! She sat down and activated her powers. Instantly, she was across the room, looking at her body sitting in the chair. She picked up a pen off the desk and frowned. Things that had no real weight normally were heavy now. It occurred to her that this was an exercise of the mind and she was out of practice. She steeled her resolve and got to work.

****

Hours later

When Tommy got home, the house was quiet again. He glanced in the kitchen as he headed for the lair. Jenny wasn't in the kitchen, the lair, the den, or the backyard. He climbed the stairs and found her in the bedroom. The room was dark, but he could see her figure on the bed. "I'm home."

"How was work?" Her voice was thick from sleep.

"The usual. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, just tired so I took a nap." Her voice was clearer now.

"What did you do today? More work on the teleporter?"

"Nope. I spent the whole morning practicing being in two places at once."

Tommy had been changing clothes, but stopped with his shirt in hand. "How did that go?"

"Pretty well, actually. I can do it for an hour at a time now. I think I'm ready for the next step."

"Which is?"

"Strength training. Things that are light for the body are heavy for the soul."

"Makes sense." Tommy finished dressing. "Are you coming down for practice?"

Jenny nodded, got up and followed Tommy to the lair. On the way, Tommy suggested that each of them take two of the Rangers and work out. Jenny agreed and then asked, "Which two do you want?"

Tommy considered this briefly. He wasn't going to reveal his talk with Kira - it wasn't his place. He finally decided, "I think you should take Kira and Trent. I noticed that in battles he regularly goes out of his way to protect her. It needs to stop and you are the one who taught Conner to close the hole in his defense."

"And as I recall, you weren't too thrilled with how I did it, either."

Tommy shrugged. "True, but I can't argue with the results. Plus, I think that Kira could benefit from having you train her for a while."

She looked at him curiously. "Why do you think that?"

"I can't tell you, but I know that it would help her."

Jenny considered this. "They're your Rangers. If you think it's a good idea, then I'll do it."

Tommy smirked as they headed down the stairs. "I just love it when you get all compliant like that."

Jenny sucked in her breath. Why had he said that? He couldn't possibly know about her dream, could he? She was distracted by a loud argument in the lair.

"I'm perfectly capable of handling myself!" Kira snapped. "I'm a Ranger, for god's sake! Some jock bully from the football team isn't going to push me around!"

"What happened?" Tommy's voice rose over the din.

"One of Conner's friends from the football team made a suggestion that I wasn't fond of, but before I could say or do anything, these idiots jumped in and backed him down. Now he probably thinks that I'm sleeping with all of them!"

The two adults traded looks. Jenny spoke up. "Kira, Trent, come with me." She led them out of the lair and into the woods. Once there, she turned to them both. "Kira, calm down. I understand your frustration, but it isn't helping. Trent, you need to understand that Kira is as capable of protecting herself as you are."

Trent snorted. "Did she forget to mention that there were five of them and only one of her?"

Jenny shook her head. "It doesn't matter. Kira stands up to worse than bullies all the time. A good fighter knows their limits. Dr. O and I were talking and he mentioned that he noticed that during battles you tend to protect Kira. Think about this - suppose we were in battle, all of us except Kira. Would you protect me or would you let me fight for myself?"

Trent hesitated. "Is there an answer that doesn't get my ass handed to me?"

"The truth" Jenny answered promptly. "And don't swear."

"I guess I would let you fight for yourself."

"Why?"

"You're an adult, experienced in battle. You wouldn't need my help."

Kira opened her mouth to retort, but was silenced by the look she was given. Jenny continued, "So what's the difference between me and Kira? Age? The fact that you like her? Guess what? She has the ability to be a better fighter than I am because she's younger. I like Dr. O, but I don't try to save him. As members of a team, we have to be able to count on the others to do their jobs. Yes, they sometimes need help, but we need to know the difference between when they need help and when they don't. You jumping to protect Kira as often as you do is a problem. One of these days, she's going to think that you don't believe that she can do it."

"That's not it! I know she can. I just don't want to see her hurt."

"None of us wants to see anyone get hurt. That's where the trust comes in. I stay behind while you guys go rushing off to battle because I trust that you'll call me if you need me. I trust Dr. O's judgment that I'm not yet needed. And I trust that if you guys are in battle and something happens to Dr. O, you guys will know whether or not to call me. Believe me, I'd much rather be fighting with you guys, but I understand why I'm not. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

Trent nodded. "Yeah, but it's not easy to ignore that I might be able to help one of the team."

"You aren't supposed to ignore it, just temper it with good judgment. Kira, come here." As soon as Kira was close enough, Jenny put her in a hold and looked at Trent. "Now, ignoring the fact that I'm an ally, do you save her or not?"

Trent's eyes swept over the pair. "No. She's got several ways that she could get out of that."

Jenny changed the hold. "What about now?"

"I don't see any way for her to get out of that one. I'd help her."

"Kira, do you need help to get out of this?"

The girl frowned. "I don't think so. But Trent can't see everything either. From his perspective, it probably looks bad. But if I do this-" Kira moved quickly and was free. "Everything's fine and I can move on."

"Good. Now what about this?" A new hold was applied. "What do you think, Trent?"

"Nope. She's got it."

Kira frowned. "Actually, I can't get out of it."

Trent answered her. "Of course you can. Take a half step back and throw your weight to the left."

Kira did and was free. Jenny spoke. "One last one." She applied one last hold to the girl. Jenny knew that she had to be careful or Kira could be hurt. "Does she need your help?"

Kira struggled and then froze. She realized that if she moved too much, she'd cut off her air. Before Trent could answer, Kira burst out, "Trent, help me!" Her voice was panicked. Trent reacted. He jumped forward, threw a punch blindly and pulled Kira behind him.

Jenny found herself sitting on the forest floor, gingerly feeling her jaw. She spit blood on the ground and then grinned at the pair. Trent immediately began to apologize, but Jenny waved it away. "That's exactly what you were supposed to do. She called for help and you helped her. That was your biggest clue that she needed you."

Trent was puzzled. "So I only help when I'm called?"

"No. If Conner were fighting three Tyrannodrones and you saw six more coming up behind him, would you wait for him to ask for help? No, because you know that's too many for any one person to fight. Common sense and instinct play a part in it too."

"I get it. Are you okay?"

Jenny nodded. "I've been through worse. Now, let's move on to real practice."

An hour later, Jenny sent Trent back in and looked at Kira. "Now you and I are going to talk. Dr. O thinks it would be a good idea if I train you for a while and I agreed. What I need to know from you is - what do you want to get from our training?"

Kira answered promptly. "I want to be better than they are."

Jenny frowned. "Are you willing to do what it takes - no matter what it is?"

Kira paused and thought. Finally, she answered. "Yes. This isn't just about me. This is also being the best Ranger I can be."

Jenny smiled. That was the answer she wanted. "Fine, I'll train you the way I was trained."

"Who trained you?"

"Wolverine, mostly. But there were others, too. One thing you have to remember is that being the best you can be means doing YOUR best at everything. That includes schoolwork, your music - everything. It doesn't mean that you can't have fun. There are a hundred little lessons if you take the time to learn them."

Kira nodded. "So when do we start?"

"We already have. What have you learned today?"

Kira considered the question carefully. "It's okay to ask for help when you need it."

"Anything else?"

"Sometimes you don't need help even when you think you do and sometimes you do need help even when you think you don't."

"And that applies to everyone - not just you. Me, Conner, Hayley, Dr. O - everyone needs help sometimes."

Kira snorted. "Not Dr. O. He's the Rainbow Ranger God."

A new voice entered the conversation. "Even I need help sometimes, Kira. I'm not a god - not even close." The girls turned to see all the guys standing outside the lair. "And sometimes I'm just as bad as the guys - or worse. I've done my best to protect you all, completely forgetting that you guys are just like me and the other Rangers were at the beginning. We were all new to the powers and had to grow into them, too. You guys wouldn't have been chosen by the Dino Gems if you weren't worthy of them."

Jenny saw the look on Trent's face. "Even you, Trent. The Gem knew it wasn't supposed to be evil and it chose someone strong enough to break that hold. Yes, it took a while, but in the end, you did it and that's what matters."

Tommy said, "Okay, guys, that's enough for today. I'm pretty sure you all have homework to do."

As the kids walked away, Jenny called, "Oh, and Kira. I want you here tomorrow at six o'clock. In the morning. Bring your school clothes."

Kira sighed and nodded. Tommy raised an eyebrow at Jenny. "What's that about?"

Jenny looked at him solemnly. "I'm just giving her what she wants."

The pair headed back to the lair. "And what's that?" Tommy asked.

"She wants to be the best. The good news is she wants it for the right reasons."

"Okay."

Jenny glanced at him as they entered and shut the door. "That's it? You're not going to question me about it?"

Tommy shook his head. "I asked you to train her. I trust you to know what's best for her."

They headed for the stairs. Jenny replied, "Good. Then you won't interfere with her training, right?"

Tommy paused halfway up the stairs. "Why does that sound like a loaded question?"

Jenny shrugged as she turned back to him. "Maybe because it is. Are you going to interfere?"

Tommy considered the question for a long minute. Finally, he said, "I'll only interfere if I really think that your training is detrimental to the team or to her well being. Otherwise, I'll stay out of it."

Jenny nodded and continued up the stairs. "That's what I was hoping you'd say."

They reached the top of the stairs and heard the phone ringing. As Tommy went to answer it, Jenny shut the door. After a minute, he held the phone out to her. "Hayley wants to talk to you."

Jenny took the phone. "Hi, Hayley. What's up?"

"Are you busy tomorrow?"

"Nothing pressing. Did you want to do inventory?"

"Yes. I was thinking if you'd come down about nine o'clock or so, we can get it done before the school kids get out."

"No problem, I'll be there."

"That will be a huge help." The relief was evident in her voice. "By the way, are you guys coming for the Halloween party?"

"Are we what?"

"Halloween is the day after tomorrow. Every year I have a Halloween party at the Cybercafe. Are you guys coming?"

"I have no idea. This is the first I've heard of it. I doubt it, though. Tommy has an old friend coming into town and he's supposed to be here at the end of the week."

"Bring him along. You don't have to wear a costume if you don't want to, but most people will. Tell Tommy if you guys are coming, I expect to see a new costume this year. I'm sick of the pirate get up."

Jenny stifled a giggle and answered as solemnly as she could. "I'll be sure to pass the message on. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

Jenny hung up the phone, folded her arms and turned to Tommy, who had just come back in the room. "I was asked to give you a message. I was told to tell you that if we're going to Hayley's Halloween party, she expects to see a new costume this year - she's sick of the pirate get up."

Tommy glanced at the calendar. "Aw, man. I had forgotten that Halloween was so close. Wait a minute - what's wrong with the old costume?"

"I'm guessing that's just it - it's old. I told her that I didn't know if we were coming or not with Jason coming to town."

"I'm not sure what day he'll be here. I'll call him and find out and let him know about the party. He might pick up a costume on the way."

"Hayley said that we didn't have to wear costumes."

Tommy paused, puzzled. "You don't want to?"

She sighed. "No, I meant for you to tell him so he knows it's an option."

Tommy nodded and picked up his cell phone. Jenny went to start dinner. She frowned as she realized that she was doing most of the cooking since she had moved in. Did he even know how? Twenty minutes later, she poked her head in the den. He was still on the phone. She heard Tommy say, "A surprise? Cool, because I've got a surprise for you, too. No, I'm not going to tell you." He glanced up and saw Jenny. She signaled to him that dinner was ready and he nodded. "Bro, I'll talk to you later. Okay, see you tomorrow. Bye."

Jenny waited until he hung up the phone. "He'll be here tomorrow?"

"Yeah, he said that he's making better time than he expected. He actually thought that he wouldn't get here until Friday or Saturday."

"Not to be nosey, but what surprise do you have for him?" she asked as he stood up and crossed the room.

He smiled, took her into his arms and kissed her forehead. "You. So, dinner's ready?"

She nodded. "Go ahead and fix your plate and I'll be there in a minute."

"Okay."

Jenny went to her old bedroom and stripped the bed. She had forgotten to get the room ready. She made the bed with fresh sheets and gathered the others to be washed. She jumped when Tommy spoke behind her. "I would have helped you with that."

"Don't sneak up on me like that!"

Tommy grinned. "I don't know another way to sneak. Besides, that's what ninjas do."

She looked at him, annoyed. "You know what I meant. Anyway, it's done now."

"Good, because I need your help." He followed her to the laundry room and watched her start the load. "I have no idea what to do about a costume now that Hayley nixed the old one."

She had started out of the room, but stopped and stared at him. "I have no idea. I still have to figure out what to do for mine. If you could choose any costume, what would it be?"

"For you?" He grinned. "Eve, before she was kicked out of Eden. Or maybe Lady Godiva."

Jenny suddenly giggled. "I don't think _anybody_ wants to see me naked but you. And I meant for you."

"And now we're back to the problem. I don't know."

"What was the attraction of the pirate costume?"

"It was easy and the girls in college thought I looked good in it" he answered promptly.

She considered his answer. "Yeah, you're not doing it again. I don't want every woman leering at you all night - just me." They went to the kitchen, Jenny fixed her plate and they ate while they tossed ideas back and forth. After they had cleaned up, they still had nothing. They went to watch TV as they gave it some thought. Jenny was flicking through channels, when suddenly, she stopped. "That's it!"

"What?"

Jenny waved her hand at the screen. Dracula was on and about to bite his victim. "You could be a vampire. The make up is easy and he's kind of sexy. Not on your level, but we can work with it."

Tommy wasn't sure if that was a compliment or not, so he let it pass. "And he did have cool powers."

She nodded. "Depending on what version you read, he could turn into a bat, a wolf or a mist."

"He could fly, was superhumanly strong and could mesmerize his victims with a look."

"Specifically, women. He could make them do whatever he wanted, especially after he bit them."

Tommy grinned. "If I bite you, can I get you do to whatever I want?"

"Depends on where you bite me. So is that what you're going as?"

"Why not?"

"Come on, then. We need to go shopping." Jenny grinned as he groaned. They headed for the mall and went into a store that had been specifically set up for Halloween. Between the two of them, they found everything that Tommy would need.

"What about you?" Tommy asked. Jenny bit her lip.

"I still don't know. I could be a vampiress, I guess."

Tommy pouted playfully. "And I was looking forward to biting you and making you mine forever."

Jenny grinned at him. "I _suppose_ I could dress up to be your victim. But then should I go modern or old school?"

Tommy debated this for a minute. "Old school."

Jenny nodded and began searching through costumes when she remembered something. "Let's go."

"You're not getting anything?"

"Nope. I have something in storage that will work perfectly." As they made their way to the check out, she explained. "Several years ago, I went to a renaissance fair in full costume. I still have it since it cost me quite a bit of money. I'll use that."

They checked out and headed for home. Tommy couldn't wait to see her costume so he convinced her to get it now and they headed for her storage space. Jenny opened the door and stared at the stacks of boxes and bins. Fortunately, they were all labeled, but she couldn't remember if she had stored it with the Halloween things or somewhere else. They started moving things. Tommy would read off tags if he thought they were relevant and she would tell him whether or not to check it as she was doing the same.

Thirty minutes later, they were about to give up when Jenny spotted a box without a label. She grabbed it and pulled the top open. She closed it quickly, picked it up and hauled it to the car. "Got it!" They quickly restored order, closed up the unit and headed home. Once they got home, they carried everything in and up to their bedroom. Jenny grabbed a couple of hangers out of the closet.

"Maybe if I hang it up, I won't have as much ironing to do" she mentioned.

"Hold it up so I can see it" Tommy requested. Jenny held the dress in front of her and Tommy whistled. At the sight of the low cut bodice, the male in him rose up appreciatively. As she turned and started to hang the dress, he stepped up behind her, slid his arms around her waist and pressed his lips to the side of her neck. He murmured against her skin, "I can't wait to see you in it."

"Patience" she grinned at him "is a virtue. Halloween is the day after tomorrow."

He nibbled up the side of her neck to her ear. His voice was rough. "Patience be damned. I want you."

She shivered and left his arms long enough to hang the dress in the closet. She went back to him, slipped her arms around him and gazed into his eyes. "I think what you really want is to see me out of that dress, not in it."

He growled softly and dipped his head down to kiss her. He hauled her hips against his so she could feel his reaction. "Do you have any idea what you're doing to me?"

She feigned surprise. "Gosh, I hope so. Otherwise, I'm just wasting my time." She pulled his head down so she could whisper in his ear. "I want you, too." She slid her hands down and caressed his buttocks before moving to his front.

Little teasing words and touches set his blood boiling. Slowly, he realized what she was doing. He remembered what she had said in her dream - 'There was one where I teased you until you lost all control. Did you know that everyone has an animal side? Sometimes the beast in all of us just has to take control.'. Maybe it was time to do just that - let the animal out. And he did.

Moving quickly, he stripped them both and all but threw her on the bed. She scrambled for the nightstand drawer and quickly readied him. The further touches only inflamed his passion and the beast he so often kept hidden took control. For once, the teacher in him sat back as he thrust deep into her waiting heat. Very un-teacher-ish things came out of his mouth as he pounded his full length deep within her. This was no gentle coupling but a primal response to a call to mate. He was going on pure instinct now. He never changed his rhythm as he moved her legs up onto his shoulders and plunged even deeper.

She was writhing and moaning beneath him now, each thrust more satisfying than the last. It had taken her a minute to adjust to the aggression that he was now displaying, but it was well worth it. She reached out to touch him, but he pinned her wrists to the mattress. She was effectively restrained and something primal welled up in her, too. She allowed herself sink into it and snarled at him and the beast snarled back and increased his speed. Suddenly, the she-beast howled in pleasure and orgasmed, thrashing and jerking as much as her restrained position would allow. The he-beast howled in reply as his seed pumped from his organ before he released her and collapsed.

Intelligence slowly returned to him and with it, a sense of shame. He had never treated a woman like that before nor had he talked to a woman like that before. He had been nowhere near gentle and he realized the damage he could have done. He was worried that he might have misinterpreted her intentions. The silence in the room only served to make him tenser.

At long last, he raised his head and looked at her. She was smiling and she realized that it was Tommy looking at her - not the beast. "Wow" was all she said.

Tommy blushed and looked away as he carefully pulled out of her and sat on the edge of the bed, his head in his hands. Jenny frowned. "What's wrong?"

He shook his head. "I could have hurt you."

Jenny stifled a giggle, realizing he was serious. "I'm not made of glass, Tommy. Sometimes we have to let our primal nature take control. It's not a bad thing. I'm not hurt and I think you needed it. From what I could tell, the beast has been caged up for far too long."

Humor laced his voice as he answered her. "Apparently, yours too."

It was her turn to blush, but she smiled. "You better believe it. She hasn't been out in - well, quite some time. And never before during sex."

This remark made him turn to her. "Are you serious?"

She nodded. "As a heart attack. There are other times that the beast makes itself known. You should see me when I'm having a jealous moment or I get truly pissed off. That's when she usually comes out and I have to force her back in her cage and be relatively civilized."

Tommy remembered a few times when he had almost lost control. He realized that the beast was just trying to protect what it saw as his. He suddenly knew that he had seen her beast before. He grinned. "Like in the other world?"

She looked at him, puzzled. "When?"

"Bev."

Comprehension dawned. "Yeah, like that."

Tommy nodded. "I guess I've had a few of those myself. That part of me thought of you as its mate before I consciously realized it. Do you remember when we went to get your stuff from Illinois?"

Her brow furrowed as she thought. "The rest stop?"

He nodded. "Then and again at the cabin when Logan, Jubilee and I came to save you." As he continued, he stood and crossed to the bathroom. "I couldn't see what was going on inside the cabin, but at one point, I swear the hair on the back of my neck stood up and I really wanted to hurt someone."

Jenny paled slightly. "When was that?"

"Probably a minute or two before I got the signal."

"What signal?"

"Wolverine scouted the cabin and he and Jubilee had figured out that you probably had your knives on you and were probably cutting yourself free. They decided that all you needed was a diversion to help you help yourself. He had found the window that wasn't quite covered and went to watch you from there. Once he saw whatever he was looking for, he used his communicator to call Jubilee, who used your cell to signal me and boom - instant chaos. Of course, your beast made an appearance at the cabin, too." He came back into the room and sat on the bed. She ignored his last statement.

"And you couldn't see me or anything that was going on inside the cabin?" Her voice shook slightly as she asked the question. He looked at her oddly and saw that all color had left her face.

"No, I couldn't. Why?"

"The falcon knew."

"Knew what?"

"He knew something was wrong in there. He had to have for you to have a reaction like that." She drew her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. She rested her chin on them and stared at the wall as she thought. When she spoke, it was more to herself than to him. "You had already talked to the falcon before the rest stop and that was definitely before the cabin. Somehow in those couple of weeks, the primal link grew stronger. But how?"

Tommy frowned. "Maybe because in those couple of weeks was when we really started to fall in love?"

Jenny shook her head slightly, not looking away from the spot on the wall. "No. In the animal world, it's rarely about love. It's usually more about mating and having strong offspring. Maybe it's the falcon in you. Falcons and other similar birds usually have one mate for life. Their mate dies and they mourn and sometimes never take another one."

Tommy considered this. "If that's true, then it would explain a lot."

"Like?"

"Why I haven't had lasting relationships. I've been looking for the right person. According to the falcon, he never left me. It just follows that his presence affected my behavior."

"Not necessarily. You might have been like that anyway, just to a lesser degree."

"Lesser degree?"

"Less picky. Let's face it. You managed to avoid relationships with beautiful women and instead chose a proven breeder with proven strength."

"Wait a minute" he protested.

"I'm not saying that's the only reasons, but on the _primal_ level, those reasons matter. Subconsciously, that's part of the equation. Consciously, that has nothing to do with it. The human part is what chose a companion that means more to you than just breeding and offspring. Emotions make a difference."

Tommy frowned again. "Somehow, we got way off topic. We were talking about the cabin."

"No, we were talking about the beasts" she reminded him. "That linked to the falcon."

"Go back to the cabin. What happened? You said that the falcon knew that something was wrong in there. What was it?"

She looked at him, frustrated. "What happened isn't as crucial as _why_ it happened. It isn't relevant."

"The fact that you're dodging the question and trying so hard to distract me from it is very relevant" he said.

"You know, you pick the worst times to be single minded."

"You don't always mind" he shot back. "Let's just save some time here. I'm not going to let this go." Before she could reply, he said softly, "You're blocking me out again."

She sighed and rested her forehead on her knees. "Does it really make a difference? Do you really need to know to love me?"

"No." She started to relax until his next words. "I need to know so that I can love you better." They were both silent for a minute and then he spoke again. "Hayley had a friend in college. Her friend was in an abusive relationship. She finally got out with Hayley's help. When she was ready, she wanted to start dating again. She refused to tell anyone what she had been through because she was afraid it would make her an easy target for another abuser. She started dating a really good guy who would have never thought of hitting her. He adored her. One day, they got into an argument. He was giving up the fight and threw up his hands. She flinched violently. He didn't know what to do at that point, but went to the one person who might. He walked out of that apartment and went straight to Hayley. He told her what happened and she - reluctantly - told him what she knew. He raced back to the apartment only to find that she had started punishing herself. She wasn't as ready as she had thought to start dating - especially without counseling. Long story short-"

"Too late."

He grinned. "Long story short, they went to counseling together. The last I heard, they were married with two kids."

She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. "Was there a point to all of this?"

"If he had known - maybe not at the beginning, but eventually - the whole bad part might have been avoided. If I don't know what happened, I don't know what not to do."

She looked confused. "Did that make any sense?"

"You know, I'm starting to think the worst here."

"Obviously, the worst didn't happen. I'm alive and I had my clothes on when you found me."

"You wouldn't have to have been totally undressed for the worst to happen" he pointed out. Suddenly, he became thoughtful. "Maybe I should have asked Logan when I had the chance - find out what he saw."

"He wouldn't have told you" she answered promptly. "If it was too serious, he'd have killed them himself."

"Of course, you did beat the holy hell out of that one guy."

She sighed. "If I tell you, will you let it go?" At his emphatic nod, she looked away once more and said, "He was threatening to rape me - well, actually it would have been more of a gang bang. I had the not so simple choice of fight them while they took what they wanted anyway and hurt me in the process or be compliant and maybe they'd be nicer about it."

Tommy gritted his teeth and clenched his fists as she continued. "He grabbed my breast, pinched my nipple and informed me I had five minutes to decide then he rubbed his groin across my face. Right then, I decided that I was going to fight and win by whatever means necessary. I was hoping that you weren't the one at the window - I didn't want you to know. I finished cutting my bonds, gave a tiny nod and you know the rest."

Tommy took a deep breath to calm and center himself. Getting angry at this point would do no good. He had heard that the men had gone to prison for a long time. He couldn't get to them to hurt them anyway. Out of the blue, a thought struck him and he snickered. She looked at him, wondering what was funny about what she had said. He laughed and said, "You do realize that they're in prison now, right? They're probably going through what they threatened you with."

Jenny smiled slowly and then began to laugh. He joined her and they laughed until they were both out of breath. When she could speak again, she choked out, "Don't you just love irony?"

He took her in his arms. "Thank you" he said.

"For what?"

"For trusting me enough to tell me."

"You didn't leave me a lot of choice" she pointed out. "But then again, I was being stubborn. I just thought you didn't need to know about it."

"Sweetheart, any naiveté or innocence I had left disappeared a long time ago."

"Bull. If that was true you'd be totally cynical and, believe me, you are anything but. You, my love, still believe that good will triumph over evil and that love is the opposite of hate. And it just isn't true all the time."

He pretended to be surprised. "Good doesn't always win? I had no idea. And since when are love and hate not opposites?"

"Love and hate were never opposites."

"Oh, really?" he challenged. "Then what's the opposite of love?"

"The same as the opposite of hate. Hate and love are very strong emotions that can cause extreme reactions. The opposite of that is apathy - not caring at all."

He considered this. "Makes sense." He released her. "Come on. We can continue this discussion curled up in bed rather than on it." They both got into bed and Tommy turned out the light. They snuggled up together, Jenny's head resting on his shoulder and her fingers drawing random patterns on his chest as they talked. She had thrown one leg across his and he was stroking her shoulder.

Tenderly, he pressed a kiss to her forehead. She tilted her head up and was rewarded with a soft kiss on the lips. They kissed for several minutes. She shifted her leg up and found that he was as turned on as she was. She reached to touch him, but he stopped her. "I want to make love to you properly. Let's not rush it."

She smiled in the dark and rested her hand on his chest once more. The mute agreement was all he needed and he returned to kissing her. He ran his hands up and down her spine slowly, learning how every inch felt under his hands. He was pleased when she began to do the same unhurried strokes along his back. He had turned on his side to accommodate both of them. As he turned his attention to her hip and leg, she was exploring his arm and shoulder. Her fingers brushed the sensitive spot on his neck and he shuddered. He could feel her smile against his lips which disappeared quickly when he found a similar spot on her hipbone. She shuddered against him in return and this time it was he who smiled.

They continued foreplay in this manner for several more minutes. Tommy took the next step and began to gently fondle her breasts. Again she followed his lead and soon her questing hands found his nipples. Kisses became more heated and soon tongues were involved. Tommy lightly brushed his fingers across her sensitive center and was rewarded with a small gasp. He continued his light touches for a little longer before he pulled away from her.

She could hear him fumble in the dark for a moment and then return. Together, they sheathed him and he urged her on her back. He settled himself between her legs and resumed kissing and touching her as he had before. As he continued his ministrations, he positioned himself and pushed forward with excruciating slowness. He continued slide inch after inch into her as he pressed kisses over her face, throat and lips. Once he was fully inside her, he held his position for a minute, simply feeling her around him.

She lay beneath him, eyes closed as she focused on the feeling of him inside her. Her hands stroked along his spine and down to caress his buttocks. She loved the feel of his tight muscles under her hands. She squeezed lightly and he began to move. Painfully slowly at first, with long strokes to extend the pleasure. She sighed in delight and he whispered, "I love you. You are my light and my love."

His voice was in that perfect range. She whispered back, "I love you. Your love makes me complete."

He started to move faster, but still gently. "Can you feel how much I love you? Do you know how much you mean to me? You are everything to me."

"You are my future and my forever." Whatever else she had been going to say was lost as her body began to tense up. Tommy kissed her again and swallowed her moan as he changed their rhythm. Her back arched as she reached completion. He slowed his strokes until he was barely moving, waiting for her to calm once more. He had barely held on to his own control. He feathered kisses over her face and smiled when she began to kiss him back.

"Want to go for two?" He deliberately pitched his voice in the range that he knew excited her. He began to move once again. This time, while he was still taking his time, he wasn't taking as much time as before. He realized that she would be more sensitive and therefore more responsive. He reached between them and gently touched the bundle of nerves at her core. She sucked in a breath and then shuddered lightly. She slid one hand up his arm, across his shoulder and began to repeatedly stroke her fingers across his neck. He shuddered in return and surged strongly against her. His fingers continued their wonderful torment and it wasn't long before she peaked again, this time with Tommy right behind her.

After a brief rest and a quick clean up, they snuggled together once more. Her voice was heavy with sleep when she murmured, "I guess it's true what they say."

"Hm, what's that?" He had been almost asleep when she had spoken.

"The right partner can make all the difference." She drifted off, leaving him with something else to ponder. In spite of himself and his curiosity, he, too, soon was asleep.


	10. Chapter 10

****

A/N: Okay, kids. You have voted and the results are in. The questionable chapter will be posted! As one reader (CoolDiva) pointed out, nobody is totally in character all the time. Thanks! It will be a rather long chapter - as in I don't know if I can upload it as one chunk. If all goes well, it will be the next one. But for now, on with the story!

Thursday morning

"What do you mean, you don't have an iron?" Jenny stared at Tommy. They had done their morning routine with Kira, who had already left, and she had caught him on his way out the door to ask him.

"What do I need an iron for? Most of my dress clothes are either that wrinkle free stuff or they go to the dry cleaners and they iron it for me."

"Never mind. I'll just pick one up while I'm in town." She kissed him fondly. "Go to work and I'll see you later."

"I love you." Jenny shook her head, amused, as he left. She quickly cleaned the kitchen and got ready to leave. She double checked that she had her morpher, keys and phone, locked the door and headed for the Cybercafe. As she drove, she made a mental checklist of all she had to do before the party tomorrow night. She glanced at her watch and realized that she had time before she needed to meet Hayley, so she decided to stop and pick up the things she would need.

One quick stop and she had what she needed. She continued on to the Cybercafe, parked and slipped in the front door. She called out to let Hayley know that she was there and followed Hayley's voice back to her office. The two women exchanged greetings and got to work. As they worked, they chatted. Hayley asked her if she had gotten the chance to practice her powers.

Jenny nodded. "Yeah, but it's difficult. Unfortunately, when I astral project, my body becomes vulnerable. I'm trying to figure out if it's possible to split my focus and keep my body active while I astral project."

"Well, normally, I would say no" Hayley responded. "But Ranger powers don't always seem to follow the rules."

Before either of them could say any more, they heard the ring of the front door opening. Jenny was closest to the hall and she leaned back so she could see the front. Two men stood there. She motioned to Hayley to stay quiet and then she called out, "We're closed."

One of them grinned maliciously. "We know. Where's the lady that owns the place?"

"She had to step out for a minute." Jenny rose to her feet. As she did, she slipped her cell phone out of her pocket and set it on a nearby shelf where Hayley could get it without being seen. "Can I help you?" She took several steps up the hallway, hoping to deter them from coming back there and finding Hayley.

One of them pulled a gun and aimed it directly at her. "Get all the cash out of the register and give it to us."

Jenny moved further up the hallway and put a puzzled look on her face. "You're going to use a gun to rob a place for fifty or a hundred bucks? That's going kind of overboard, isn't it?" She stepped behind the counter and looked at the register. She wasn't familiar with it at all and didn't know how to open it.

The man with the gun waved it at her. "Let's go, girlie. We ain't got all day."

She allowed her annoyance show in her voice. "I'm trying to figure out how to open the damn thing. I've never done it before. I don't even work here."

The second man stared at her. "You don't work here?" He glanced at his partner. "You said that she'd have an employee helping her."

Jenny snorted. "Why pay an employee when you can have a friend help for free?" She located the switch to turn the machine on. She flipped it. "Okay, now it's on and we just have to wait for the system to load."

"Hurry up" the armed man snapped at her.

"It's a computer based system - it takes a while to load up." She stared at the screen as she waited, trying to figure out how to stall for time. When the screen came up, she could have kissed Hayley. It was asking for a password. "Uh oh."

"What uh oh?" one of the men demanded.

"It's asking for a password and I don't know it."

The gun was leveled at her head. "You're her friend. Figure it out."

"But I have to be careful. If I get it wrong too often, the system will totally lock out."

"Figure it out!" he screamed at her.

She began to mumble to herself as if trying to figure out the password. She knew that no password would be required to access basic functions, just the advanced systems. When the man waved the gun at her again, she frowned at him. "You know you aren't making this any easier by waving that gun in my face."

Jenny stalled until she could tell that the man's patience and nerves had almost reached the breaking point. She pretended to type in a password and hit the enter key. Immediately, the screen came up and she slowly tapped the keys that would open the drawer. She prayed that the police were nearby. She had stalled as long as she reasonably could. The drawer slid open - and there was nothing there.

She hid a smirk as she stared at the empty drawer. "It's not here."

"What?"

"Her opening bank - it's not here. Oh, of course. She mentioned that she had to stop at the bank. I'm sure she'll be back soon and then you can get your money."

The armed man tightened his finger on the trigger. "So go open the safe."

"If I had that much trouble with the register, what makes you think I can open the safe?" She could hear cars screeching to a halt nearby.

"What was that?"

She shrugged. "Probably someone was trying to avoid an accident. It is a rather busy intersection, you know."

"What do we do now?" the unarmed man asked his partner.

"You guys could just leave. Nothing's been stolen and no one's been hurt. Just go and that'll be the end of it."

"But you can identify us" the armed man growled at her.

"So can the security cameras. All you've done so far is scare me and your gun is most likely stolen. I couldn't care less about the gun thing. And, yes, you scared me, but I'll get over that."

"You don't seem real scared to me."

"Believe me, I'm terrified" she assured him. "But is it going to do anyone - particularly me - any good if I fall apart now?"

Before anything else could be said, the front door burst open. "Freeze! Police!"

The man with the gun was startled. He jumped and squeezed the trigger. Jenny had been expecting it and dropped to the floor. Everything seemed to move in slow motion as she watched the bullet coming for her as she let gravity pull her down. Time returned to normal as she heard the bullet connect.

The police quickly subdued the men and led them out. Jenny stood up as one of the policemen called out for Hayley. Hayley came out and went immediately to Jenny and hugged her. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine, Hayley. Are you okay?" Jenny asked, seeing the woman's pale, frightened face.

"I was afraid for you. You were the one in danger."

Jenny laughed and said quietly, "All because they took me at my word that I was alone and didn't bother to check." She suddenly stopped laughing. "He shot at me."

A policeman walked up and Jenny set her jaw. She could fall apart later. Right now, she needed to give her statement to the police. Half an hour later, the police left, taking the security tapes and the bullet they had dug out of the counter. Jenny looked at Hayley. "Let's finish inventory."

Hayley looked at her, concerned. "Are you sure?"

"It still needs to be finished and we're almost done." They returned to the back room and rapidly finished the job. They moved to Hayley's office. The brunette dropped the paperwork on the desk and grabbed a box of Kleenex and sat by Jenny on the small couch.

"You can let go now" the woman said gently. A single tear rolled down Jenny's face. "You need to let go. Keeping it penned up is not a good idea."

Jenny laughed shakily. "You sound like Tommy."

"One of the wiser of his gender - when he chooses to be." More tears rolled down Jenny's face. Hayley continued, "I don't think I could have kept calm with a gun in my face."

Jenny began to shake and Hayley pressed a Kleenex in her hand and hugged her. Jenny cried out her fear and shock and anger. Several minutes later, the sobs subsided. Jenny wiped her eyes, blew her nose and smiled at the other woman. "I seem to be crying a lot lately."

Hayley cocked her head and studied the young woman before her. "Emotional backlog, I would guess. You keep so much inside, but it has to get out sometime. Eventually, you'll get things handled and you'll be able to control it again."

"Thank god - it's starting to get on my nerves. Um, do you think we could NOT tell Tommy about this? After all, it's over now and nothing happened."

"Do you mean the whole robbery or the crying thing?"

"All of it."

Hayley sighed. "I doubt it. He knows you were supposed to be here today and I'm sure that word will get around. Plus, you'll probably have to testify at trial. If it were me, I'd probably tell him face to face so that he can see that you're fine. Hopefully, he'll hear it from you first. Besides, do you have any idea how pissed off he'd be if he found out you had kept it a secret from him? For right now, we'll get you home so you can be there when he gets there."

Jenny took a deep breath. "I'm fine, Hayley."

Hayley shook her head. "I'm going to drive you home. We'll take your car and I'll take a cab back." Jenny started to protest, but Hayley overrode her. "I want to know that you're home okay and you'll probably need your car. And don't bother to argue with me - I will win."

Jenny smiled and gave in.

An hour later, Jenny was in the laundry room ironing her dress when she heard Tommy come in the house. She bit her lip and went to meet him. They met in the kitchen doorway. "Hi. How was your day?"

"Not bad. Did inventory go all right?" he asked her.

"Yes, but I have something to tell you. Something happened today."

"What?" he asked as he grabbed a bottle of water out of the fridge.

"Maybe you better sit down."

This drew his full attention. "Just tell me."

Jenny took a breath and told him what had happened. She didn't tell him how close the bullet had actually come to hitting her. When she finished and reassured him that she was fine, he was stunned. He hugged her tightly and she could feel him shaking. His voice shook, too, as he said, "You just can't seem to stay out of trouble, can you?"

"Nope. Like a magnet."

He pulled back slightly and searched her face. "Are you really okay?"

"Yes. I was strong through the entire incident and didn't fall apart until after we finished inventory. Had a good cry and I'm fine. Hayley's shoulders aren't nearly as nice as yours to cry on, but they'll do in a pinch."

They both heard the Rangers coming in the front door and Jenny smiled. "You go get ready for practice and I'll tell the Rangers a story. It'll keep them busy for ten minutes or so."

Tommy nodded and headed for the stairs, greeting the Rangers on his way. The teens piled into the kitchen and greeted Jenny. When Tommy came down the stairs ten minutes later, he could hear her talking to the teens. "So then I said to him, 'Yeah, but do you really know which one of us to shoot?'. So while he couldn't make up his mind, I kicked the gun out of his hand and then kicked his partner in the gut. By the time he recovered, I had gotten the gun. I hit one of them with it and knocked him out and then turned the gun on the other one."

Tommy leaned on the door frame, listening. He knew that this version wasn't the same as the one she had told him, but he wanted to hear how this version ended. She continued, "He didn't know what to do and I realized that he didn't know if there were any bullets left in the gun. So I said, 'Do you feel lucky, punk? Well, do you?'."

Tommy swallowed his laughter. He recognized the line. Jenny looked up and saw him in the doorway and her eyes sparkled at him. She turned her attention back to the teens. "I got tired of waiting for him to decide, so I pulled the trigger just as the cops poured into the shop. Of course, the gun was empty, but the guy was so scared, he wet himself."

Conner stared at her in awe. "Really?"

"No, not really." Jenny and Tommy laughed. "There were two guys that tried to rob the Cybercafe, but they didn't know that Hayley was there so I just stalled them until she got the cops there."

The other Rangers groaned. They couldn't believe that they fell for it. They all trooped down to the lair. Once again, they paired off, with Jenny taking Kira and Conner this time. After practice was over, they left and Jenny and Tommy went upstairs for showers and dinner. Jenny was pulling dinner out of the oven when the doorbell rang. Tommy set the last plate on the table and said, "I'll get it. It should be Jason."

He went and opened the front door and greeted the man standing there. "Hey bro. Good to see you."

Jason stepped inside and hugged his friend, leaving the door open. "Good to see you too." He called behind him, "Hey, surprise! Get in here!"

Jenny stepped into the kitchen doorway just in time to see a young woman in pink run in the door, throw herself at Tommy and kiss him - on the mouth. Her mouth fell open and she saw red. The rational part of her brain reminded her that Tommy had kept her as a surprise and they didn't know. The rest of her insisted that it shut up and let her kill the woman - or at least maim or cripple her. She glanced at Jason, who was staring at the pair.

The young woman pulled back and squealed, "Surprise, Tommy! I bet you weren't expecting this."

"No, he wasn't" Jenny said from the doorway. "Hello, Jason. Hello, Kimberly."

"Uh oh." Jason said. He turned to Tommy. "Is she your surprise?"

Tommy nodded. "This is my girlfriend, Jenny."

Kim reddened. "I didn't know you had a girlfriend."

"Well, this is a little awkward, isn't it?" Jenny's smile didn't quite reach her eyes. "Two surprises that backfired."

Kim stammered, "I'm sorry. I honestly didn't know."

Jenny looked at her calmly. "Oh, I know you didn't. Tommy, why don't you have them put their bags in the guest room? I'll put dinner on the table and after we eat, I'll make up another room. Unless you two are sharing?" she asked as an afterthought.

"If you can spare the room, separate rooms will be fine" Jason answered. Jenny nodded and went back to the kitchen. The other three looked at each other.

"I'm sorry, Tommy" Kim said.

"I know" he answered. "Come on." He showed them to the room and Kim went to freshen up.

"Sorry, bro. I had no idea she was going to do that."

"It's cool. I think of the three of us, you're in the least trouble."

"Not to change the subject, but is that Jennifer from high school?"

Tommy grinned. "Yeah, and guess what? All those times she covered for us, she knew who we were."

"She knew that we were the Power Rangers?"

"Yep."

Jenny's voice reached them. "Come on, boys. Wash up for dinner."

Kim wandered into the kitchen. "Um, Jenny?"

"Yes?"

"I really am sorry."

Jenny sighed and turned to her. "I know and I'm trying hard not to be angry about it. So I'll tell you what - I'll forgive it, if you'll forget it."

"Just like that?" Kim asked, stunned.

"Just like that." Jenny handed her a bowl. "Would you put that on the table, please?"

As Kim did, a question occurred to her. "You greeted me by name. Do I know you?"

Jenny laughed. "We went to high school together. And I covered for you Rangers from time to time. By the way, I think you owe Jason an apology, too."

"Why?"

"For one thing, I would imagine he was embarrassed to death. I'm betting he had no idea you were going to do that."

"Well, no, he didn't. I thought I was supposed to be forgetting it?"

"As far as I'm concerned, you are. But that doesn't mean that you can ignore the other people involved."

"Okay, well, I've apologized to you and Tommy, so now I need to apologize to Jason. You said for one thing. Was there a second thing?"

"Yes." Jenny handed Kim a plate to put on the table and waited until she had done so before she continued. "I think Jason's sweet on you, so you should apologize for hurting his feelings."

Kim waved that away. "Jason doesn't think of me like that."

"Are you sure?" The knowing tone in Jenny's voice made Kim pause.

"What makes you say that?"

"You should have seen the look on his face. I'm betting it pretty well matched mine."

****

Elsewhere in the house

Tommy and Jason were talking. Out of the blue, Jason said, "Where's Kim?"

"Probably in the kitchen with Jenny" Tommy answered. "Don't worry - Jenny won't kill her."

"Are you sure? You should have seen the look on her face."

Tommy knew that Kim kissing him would be the kind of thing to release the beast, but the quiet in the house reassured him. "If she were going to kill her, Kim would fight back and we would have heard it by now." At that moment, a crash was heard from the kitchen. As one, the men hurried toward the sound.

"You were saying?" Jason commented wryly. They entered the kitchen to find the girls cleaning up glass from the floor.

"What happened?" Tommy asked.

The girls looked up guiltily. Jenny answered quickly. "We were having a - debate and I turned to say something to her and knocked the glass off the counter with my elbow." She grinned at Tommy. "At this rate, we're going to have to pack up the rest of your set and buy plastic."

Tommy shook his head. "That makes two of the six that have become casualties to your hands. Maybe you should just break the rest and get it over with."

"Nope. One every month or two is my limit." The boys pitched in and soon the mess was cleared and they sat down to eat. During the meal, they talked as if the incident had never happened. After dinner, they moved to the living room and talked for hours.

Finally, they all went up to bed. It was the first time Tommy had been alone with Jenny since their guests had arrived. As they dressed for bed, Tommy said, "I'm sorry about what happened."

Jenny looked up, startled. "What for? It wasn't your fault."

"Well, no, but-"

"Tommy, do you really want to talk about this? I'm okay. I was mad, but it's not going to do any good. It's just one of those things that we'll laugh about someday. I know you love me and I love you."

"I do love you."

"And I can only imagine what was going through your head when it happened. It must have been hard for you too. You can't just shove her off."

"Although it was a tempting idea."

Jenny grinned and slipped into bed as Tommy climbed in the other side. She said, "I'll tell you what I told her. I'll forgive it, if you'll forget it."

"But you won't forget it."

"Of course not. I needed the reminder that other women are still going to come after you and who can blame them?" Tommy rolled his eyes and she grinned. "Too much?"

"It was a bit over the top" he agreed dryly. She snuggled up to him. "On another subject, I do have something to tell you." He had decided to tell her that he knew about her nightmare a few nights before.

"If you're going to tell me that Hayley hit on you-"

"Nothing like that. I'm sure you remember the other night when you finally told me what happened in your life, right?" She nodded against his chest and he continued. "That night you had a nightmare. Sat straight up and screamed. I tried to talk to you, but it was doing no good. So I tried to talk to you telepathically."

She was listening intently. "What happened?"

"I got pulled into your nightmare."

"What?" She sat up and looked at him.

"I saw some of the things they did to you. I tried to stop them, but I went right through one of them."

"Because you weren't really there. You can't change the past."

"But it was a dream. I told you that it was a dream and it wasn't real. That's when it started to change. I could touch things. I removed a couple of the straps holding you and told you I needed a key to take the collar off of you. You glanced at a nearby tray and I found the key there. Just as I unlocked it, someone noticed me. You freed yourself as I kept them back. You threw three of them into a wall and someone activated a nullifier. You told them that the nullifier would not help them and you asked me if I wanted to help. Several minutes later, they were all out cold."

Jenny remembered the nightmare well - and what had followed. She kept her voice steady. "What happened next?" Tommy hesitated and she knew. "And not realizing it was really you, I pulled you into the next part with me."

Her face burned in embarrassment as he admitted this was true. She remembered how he had left her dream and frowned. "What happened to you? I know you were at the edge and then suddenly you weren't there anymore."

"As I went over the edge, I snapped back into my own body. You were sound asleep, but you - finished the job, as it were."

She considered this for a moment and then said flippantly, "Well, at least I didn't leave you hanging."

Tommy chuckled and then said, "What I was wondering about was why it happened - and how."

Jenny's brow furrowed as she considered it. "I don't know. Maybe because I needed you to give me the strength and focus to change the dream. The link through the falcon would have probably made it possible. I wonder if it would work in reverse, too."

"I rarely have nightmares that are that bad" Tommy pointed out.

"Maybe it wouldn't have to be just nightmares. You had that dream the other day that you were searching for something in the old Command Center. Maybe I could have helped with that."

"Who knows? We actually have no idea of the limits of this power. The falcon told me that our range is limited now, but with practice it would get easier and we'd be able to do it over greater distance. He also said that either of us could call him, but only I could truly command him." He reached over and turned out the light. "Let's get some sleep."

Jenny snuggled against him once more, but was far from sleep. Her thoughts were going a million miles a second. She suddenly realized why Tommy had made the remark the other day about her being compliant. She sighed silently and continued thinking for a long time. It was after midnight when she finally fell asleep.


	11. Chapter 11

****

A/N: Okay kids - here it is! The questionable chapter that you've all been waiting for - kinda. Either way, I've updated again - go me! Anyway, I haven't done the disclaimer in a while so: I own Jenny, but nothing Power Rangers (don't I wish!). Any OCs are either from my imagination or based on real people with their permission. That's done so now on with the story!

Friday

Jenny was in the kitchen waiting for the coffee to finish brewing when Jason entered the room. Silently, she pointed to the cabinet where the mugs were and he nodded. He pulled down two more just as the machine gave its final gurgle. She grabbed the pot, filled all the mugs and returned the pot to its place. Jason took a hefty swallow and asked, "Tommy up?"

Jenny was surprised to discover that the deep timbre of his voice did nothing to her. "He's getting dressed for morning workouts. You and Kim are welcome to join us. First we run and then we spar."

The mention of sparring seemed to wake him up a little more. "Give me ten minutes."

Jenny nodded and he left the room. Jenny went to the front door and unlocked it so Kira could get in. Then she went upstairs to tell Tommy that Jason, at least, would be joining them. When she came back downstairs, she found Kira in the kitchen ready to go. Jenny sent her outside to warm up. The rest of the adults joined Jenny in the kitchen and they all trooped outside.

When Jason and Kim saw Kira, Kim asked, "Who is that?"

Tommy glanced at Jenny, who nodded. He called the girl over. "Jason Scott, first Red Ranger and Kimberly Hart, first Pink Ranger, this is Kira Ford, Yellow Dino Thunder Ranger." As Kira shook hands with the originals, Tommy grinned and said, "Oh, and we never did get to proper introductions last night. This is Jennifer Allen, Green Dino Thunder Ranger."

Jenny smirked at the startled looks on the faces of their guests. She turned to Kira. "Have you finished your warm-ups?"

"No." Immediately, the girl returned to what she had been doing. The others warmed up and Jenny told Tommy that she would run with Kira and they could go ahead. She waited until they were out of earshot then turned to the girl.

"I won't take it easy on you because we have guests" she warned. Kira nodded and the two of them set off. As usual, Jenny pushed her hard through the run. When they finally reached the yard at the end, Jenny kept moving to keep her muscles warm as the girl recovered. She glanced around and saw Kim practicing her gymnastics as the men sparred. After a few minutes, Kira was ready.

Jenny moved into the next part of Kira's training. She knew Kira's skill limits and adjusted accordingly. Today, Jenny planned to teach Kira a new move. It was slightly above her abilities, but Jenny knew that she could do it. She showed the girl twice and then it was Kira's turn. Kira tried several times and failed each time. Jenny could see that she was getting closer, but not quite getting it and made her do it again and again. Jenny also knew that Kim was watching them, but ignored her - until Kim said something.

"You don't have to be so hard on her."

Tommy held up a hand to stop Jason and watched Jenny and Kira for a minute. Jenny barely glanced at Kim before turning her attention back to her protégé. Kim started to say something, but Tommy cut her off. "Don't do it, Kim."

Kim turned on Tommy. "I can't believe you would let her treat another Ranger that way!"

Tommy shrugged. "It's what Kira wanted. Leave it alone. She knows what she's doing."

Kim looked to Jason for help. He was watching the girls. He frowned slightly. "Bro, are you sure-"

Tommy stopped him. "Do you think for one minute I would let it go on if I wasn't?"

Jason shook his head. "No. If you thought that she was wrong, you'd stop it. Kim, leave it alone."

Kim huffed and continued to watch. A short time later, Kira managed to do it. Jenny glanced at her watch and realized that it was time to stop. She raised her voice. "Time's up. Kira, Tommy, it's time to get ready to go to school."

Kira bowed and headed for the house. Tommy grinned at her. "Actually, I took the day off."

She raised an eyebrow at him. He said innocently, "Oh, didn't I tell you?"

She smirked. "Well, then. Extra sparring time for you. I think three on one?"

Jason roared with laughter at the look on Tommy's face. Kim said sweetly, "We could just let the boys spar and I could spar with you."

Jenny sobered instantly. "You sure you really want that?"

"Oh, definitely." Kim launched at the other girl. She wanted to know how good Jenny really was.

"Oh, hell" Tommy said. Jason glanced at him before returning his attention to the girls. That one glance showed him how worried Tommy was.

"Bro, what's wrong?"

"Jenny's nearly at our level of skill, Jase. Kim isn't anywhere near it. It's also entirely possible that she's armed." As they watched, they realized that Jenny was only defending - she didn't throw a single attack.

Jenny, for her part, was studying Kim's moves. She could almost hear Logan's voice in her head. "Learning your opponent's style is a luxury you don't usually get, but when you do, make the most of it." And she was.

Jason said to Tommy, "She's good."

"She should be - I met her teacher and sparred with him. He definitely knows what he's doing. As a matter of fact, she's training Kira the same way she was trained." Tommy frowned. "I'm a little surprised she hasn't gone on the offensive yet."

"What did you mean; it's possible she's armed?" Jason had been scrutinizing her and hadn't seen any sign of a weapon.

"She carries knives."

"Where?"

Tommy shrugged. "I have no idea where she keeps all of them, but trust me, she probably has them."

As they watched, Jenny suddenly changed her style and began to attack. Kim managed to keep her at bay for a few minutes, but the battle was definitely turning against her. A few more minutes and Jenny had Kim on the ground. Jenny said, "Give?"

Kim struggled for a moment. "Give." Jenny immediately stood and offered her hand to the other woman. Kim took it. "Where did you learn to fight like that?"

Jenny smiled. "Long story. Let's just say my teacher was well versed in several versions of the martial arts and taught me all he could with the time he had."

"There's an understatement" Tommy said as he and Jason approached. Jason circled Jenny and her guard came up.

He shook his head at Tommy. "I don't think so, bro."

Jenny glanced at Tommy, puzzled. He said to her, "Are you armed or not?"

"Always. Why?"

"I mentioned to Jason that you might be and he disagrees." Jenny grinned, made one swift movement and Jason jumped back. A knife stuck in the ground not six inches from where he had been standing. Jenny grinned as she retrieved it, wiped the blade on the grass and slowly returned it to its holder so they could see where it was. It was a small knife and the holder was tucked into her waistband. She saw Tommy's reproving look and immediately apologized.

"Sorry, the drama wasn't necessary."

Kim asked curiously, "How many knives do you have on you?"

"Right now? Six. I usually have more than that, but my workout clothes don't allow for it. I'm never unarmed - well, almost never" she amended. "Are we finished with workouts?"

They all agreed it was time to stop and headed inside. They all grabbed quick showers and met in the kitchen for breakfast. As they ate, they talked some more. Finally, Jenny asked, "Are you guys going to the Halloween party?" When they nodded, she inquired, "What are you going as?"

Jason answered first. "I'll probably just wear my gi and go as a martial artist."

Kim added, "I'll probably wear my gymnast uniform."

Jenny stared at them. "Are you serious? The whole point is to be something you're not."

"Well, yeah" Kim replied. "But we couldn't find anything we liked at any of the places we stopped."

Jenny shook her head. "Looks like we need to go shopping."

Kim's eyes lit up as the men exchanged looks. Tommy spoke up. "Why don't you girls go and Jason and I will stay here out of your way?" He didn't like the gleam that suddenly lit in Jenny's eyes.

"So you'll let us pick a costume for Jason and he'll wear it - without complaining, right?"

Jason contemplated this. "As long as it's nothing stupid" he conceded.

Kim jumped up from the table. "Come on! Let's go before they change their minds!"

The girls raced out of the kitchen. Tommy shook his head. "Bro, I think you just made a serious mistake."

Jenny and Kim raced for the car. They didn't want to give Jason the chance to change his mind. As they drove, they tossed ideas back and forth. Jenny suddenly had an idea. She parked at a thrift shop. "Come on."

Kim followed Jenny inside. Jenny steered her away from the costumes and toward the regular clothes. "What size are you?"

Kim told her and Jenny began flipping through the clothes on the rack in front of her. She pulled several pieces off the rack and showed her where the dressing room was. She waited patiently for Kim to try them on. When Kim came out, Jenny grinned. "Perfect. Change back and meet me in the men's section."

By the time Kim joined her again, Jenny had picked out several pieces for Jason. After consulting with Kim about sizes and colors, she kept three pieces and put the rest back. They paid for their purchases and left. They made several more stops before they went home. As they pulled in the driveway, Jenny had an idea. She turned to the other girl. "You don't mind if I scare Jason a little, do you?"

Kim grinned. "No. What are you going to do?"

"Just work with me on this" Jenny grinned as she got out of the car. They grabbed the bags and went in the house. Tommy and Jason were watching TV and talking when they came in. "You guys will never believe what we found! We got Kim's stuff and were searching around for something for Jason and we found the most adorable pair of footie pajamas ever! You will be so cute!"

Jason's mouth fell open as Tommy winced. "Maybe we should have gone with them" Tommy mumbled.

"I said nothing stupid! I will NOT wear footie pajamas!"

Jenny turned to Kim who was barely holding in her laughter. "Good thing you talked me out of that other idea I had - this will be much better."

Kim couldn't control herself anymore and screamed with laughter. Jenny joined her and the men realized that the girls were kidding. Tommy started laughing, reluctantly followed by Jason. "Okay, you've had your little joke. What did you really get for me?" Jason asked.

"Trust me. It's nothing stupid. I'll help you with the make up - we have to get it just right to match your dress."

Kim dissolved into giggles once more. Tommy covered his eyes. "Yikes, I need to bleach my brain to get rid of that mental image."

Jenny looked at Jason. "Okay, it's not a dress - it would take us the rest of the day to wax those legs of yours." She looked at Tommy. "The party starts at five, right?"

He nodded. "Yeah. I don't know how long it will take to get everyone ready, though."

Jenny frowned thoughtfully. "Well, Kim can do her own and I can do my make up, but I'll need help with my costume. I can do your make up in about twenty minutes and another twenty minutes or half an hour for Jason's. So to have everybody ready to walk out the door - an hour and a half to two hours. Of course, I still need to finish ironing my dress."

Kim suggested, "Let's have lunch and then I can help you with your dress, and around two thirty, we'll start getting ready."

Jenny nodded. "Good idea. By the way, Tommy, you did mention to the other Rangers, especially Conner, that they can't use their Ranger uniforms as costumes, didn't you?"

"I shouldn't have to. They should know better."

"Okay, just checking." She headed for the kitchen, dropping the bags near the stairs. She called over her shoulder, "And you did tell them that practice was cancelled tonight, right?"

"I mentioned it a yesterday at school." Jenny nodded and continued to the kitchen.

They all had a quick lunch and while the girls dealt with the dress, Jason and Tommy played cards. Finally, it was time to start getting ready. Jenny decided to do Tommy's make up first. She led him to the bathroom, sat him down and got started. She stepped back and looked at her work critically. "That'll do. Go up and put your costume on and be careful."

She called Jason in next. As she studied his face, he asked, "It's not going to be stupid, right?"

"I promised, right?" At his nod, she said, "Then it won't be stupid." She worked carefully for a long time. Finally she said, "I can't do the rest until you have your costume on. Hang on." She grabbed a shirt, a pair of pants and a sweater out of one of the bags and handed them to him. "Put these on and don't look in the mirror yet."

She stepped out of the bathroom and shut the door. As she was waiting, Kim came out of her room. Jenny bit her lip to keep from laughing. Kim said, "I can't get the makeup quite right."

Jenny did laugh then. "Kim, you look like a junkie. Go in the kitchen and wash it off and start over. Think more subtle and you'll be fine."

Jason called out that he was ready and Jenny went back in the bathroom. She nodded in approval and finished her work. With her permission, he looked in the mirror. He was stunned at what he saw before him. She smiled, left the room and headed for the stairs. Tommy came out of the room just as she was about to go in and she smiled. "Good. You and Jason are done. Kim has to redo her make up and I need to get ready. Hopefully, I'll be done soon. Go down and see what I've done to Jason and see if you like it."

Jenny went into the connecting bathroom, swiftly put her hair up and put on her make up. Where her make up was easy, her costume was a little more difficult. She did what she could and realized she would need help with the rest. She debated for a minute and then opened the bedroom door a crack and called Kim to come help her.

Kim hurried to the room and shut the door behind her. "What's up?"

"I need your help. I can't tighten the laces on the corset by myself."

Kim stared. "You must be crazy. Turn around."

As Kim pulled on the laces, Jenny explained, "I have to do this or the dress doesn't fit right. Pull harder."

Finally, the corset was tight enough and Kim tied it. She helped Jenny put the dress on and fasten it up. Kim eyed her critically. "Can you even breathe in that thing?"

Jenny nodded. "I just have to remember to breathe differently."

Kim shrugged. "Do you need anything else?"

"No. I'll be down in a minute." Jenny grabbed a small drawstring purse and tucked a few things in it. She picked up her shawl, draped it around her shoulders and was ready. She went downstairs and looked at the others. Where there once had been Tommy, Jason and Kim, there was now a vampire, an old man and a biker chick. "Are we ready?"

The three turned to her. Tommy stopped breathing for a moment as he stared at her. He smiled at her, fangs showing. "That dress looks much better on you then on the hanger" he said as he approached her. In a low voice only she could hear, he said, "But it would look much better on the floor."

Her cheeks turned pink as she smiled sweetly at him. "Oh, so am I going to get bitten later?"

"Several places" he promised. He turned to the others. "Let's go." They all piled into Jason's SUV and headed for the Cybercafe.

When they arrived, the party was in full swing. Out of habit, Jenny looked over the crowd. She could pick out the other Rangers and Hayley fairly easily. For this one night, Hayley had hired a caterer and a DJ. Jason and Kim went to dance and Tommy and Jenny approached Hayley.

"Looks like a good party" Tommy remarked to Hayley, who nodded.

"There's never any trouble until it's time to send everyone home. They never want to leave. You two go have fun."

Tommy turned to Jenny. "Want to dance?" A slow song had just started and she smiled and nodded.

Several hours later, the party was winding down. Hayley took the mike from the DJ. "I know you guys want to stay and keep the party going, but there is a curfew." A chorus of groans greeted this announcement. "Sorry guys, but one more song and then it's time to go." She handed the mike back and walked away from the stage. Several people started to get their things together to leave to beat the rush.

Jason and Kim found Tommy and Jenny sitting in a corner. They had spent the last hour or so flirting and tossing innuendos back and forth. Neither of them could wait to get home and were more than willing to leave when Jason and Kim suggested it. The drive home seemed to take forever, but they finally made it. They bid their guests good night and went up to their bedroom.

Almost before the door was shut, Tommy popped his fangs out, grabbed Jenny and kissed her soundly. He then directed his attention to her bare neck. He bit her gently and then started sucking. He had decided to act out his role a little longer. When he finally pulled back, he smiled. The small bruise marked her as his. He looked into her eyes intently. His voice was rough and deep as he said, "You are mine. Say it."

"I am yours."

"You will do what I say."

A small smile quirked across her lips. "Always, my lord and master."

Tommy sucked in his breath. It was an unexpected rush to hear her say those words. His voice became more commanding. "Undress me."

Her hands trembled with desire as she did. Tommy realized that he could use her fantasy of being submissive to his advantage and fulfill one or two of his own. When she had finished her task, he said, "Kneel and please me."

Instantly, she dropped to her knees and took him in her hands and mouth. She did this for several minutes before he stopped her. He moved over to the bed and lay down, propping himself up so that he could see her. "Take off your clothes."

She slipped off her shoes, unfastened her dress and dropped it to the floor where it was soon joined by her underskirts. Now she was wearing only a garter, stockings, underwear and the corset. She reached behind her, untied the corset and loosened it as far as she was able. Tommy realized that she couldn't do any more with out help, so he called her over. A few quick pulls later and the torturous device was loose enough for her to remove. She dropped it on the growing pile. She slipped out of her underwear, but as she reached to unfasten the stockings, he stopped her again.

He quickly moved in front of her. "Don't move" he commanded. He ran his hands all over her body and then knelt in front of her. She trembled in anticipation as he ran his hands from her ankles to her hips. His thumb stroked the sensitive spot on her hip for a moment and then he pressed his lips against it. When he pulled back, there was another small bruise and she was shaking from pent up desire. He brushed his fingers against her womanhood and smiled. She was more than ready for him to take her, but he wasn't ready quite yet. He leaned forward and ran his tongue over her skin where his fingers had been. He continued the wonderful torture for several minutes. He eventually pulled back and stood. "Get me ready."

In a minute, she had him covered. He moved behind her and pressed himself tightly against her body. He gently ran his tongue over the bruise he had earlier inflicted. He whispered, "Now we're going to fulfill a fantasy or two of my own - and you're not in a position to refuse me. Do you understand?"

"Yes, my master. Whatever you wish."

"Good. Bend over the bed." When she had, he took a long look at her and felt his adrenaline surge through his system. He aligned himself and pushed forward. Jenny muffled her moans in the mattress. They both realized that it wouldn't take much before she would explode and Tommy grinned wickedly. He began a steady stroke that he knew would please her. When he felt she was getting close, he stopped. Unconsciously, she continued moving and he pulled out entirely. She whimpered at the loss. "Lay down on your back" he commanded.

She did and he pulled her legs open. He swallowed hard. His voice was deep and lust filled as he gave his next command. "Touch yourself, but do not finish."

She did as she was told, fighting the urge to complete the job. Under his watchful eye, she came to the edge several times, but not over it. Once more, he inserted himself into her waiting flesh. He locked eyes with her and whispered, "Now you may." He began to thrust quickly and deeply and it was only moments before she convulsed around him. He watched her closely, enjoying the sight. She opened her eyes and saw the tension around his jaw.

She whispered, "Please, master. I want to feel you as you do, too." At her words, he let himself go and reached his pinnacle as well. Her eyes drank in the sight of the man she loved lost in the pleasure she could give. Still breathing heavily, he kissed her hard and deeply. He wasn't quite ready for this evening to end. Another fantasy clicked in his mind. He rose from his position over her, stood and held out his hand to her. She took it and he pulled her to her feet. Silently, he led her into the bathroom and started the shower.

When it had warmed up, he said, "Get in." The command remained in his voice and she understood that the game was not yet over.

She cast her eyes down and murmured, "As you wish." She stepped into the tub and Tommy followed. He made her wash herself and then him, watching her intensely. She avoided touching him intimately until he growled in frustration. Her soap slick hands glided over his skin as she washed then rinsed him. She knew what she wanted, but it was his game now. She knelt before him and begged, "Please, master, may I?"

Tommy nodded once and she swallowed hard and once again took him in her mouth. The sensuality of the situation heightened his need and soon his hands were fisted in her hair. She had a trick that she hadn't yet used and decided that now was the time. She took a deep breath and swallowed his entire length.

Tommy gasped in pleasure at the tightness her throat offered and gritted his teeth against the urge to thrust. That resolve went out the window as she moved back and forth along his length not dislodging him from her tight passage. She pulled back just enough to grab another quick breath and took him deeply again. He understood that she was ready and began to quickly and gently thrust into her throat.

In spite of the fact that this was his second time, it didn't take long for him to reach completion. He bit his lip to keep from shouting when he did. Once he was finished, she released him from the tight grip of her throat. She panted for air for a minute before she stood up and smiled at him. She reached behind him and turned the shower off and stepped out, grabbing a towel. Once he had stepped out, she quickly dried him and then herself. They went back to the bedroom, straightened the bed, got in and curled up together.

Through their link she said in his mind, "I love you." She knew she would be hoarse if she tried to speak aloud and didn't want to worry him.

She was relieved when he answered her the same way. "I love you, too." There was a long pause before he thought to her, "I hope Jason and Kim didn't hear any of that."

She smiled. Having watched the couple off and on through the evening, she thought back, "Oh, I think they might have been making a little noise of their own."

"Do you think so?" he thought.

She nodded. "You should have seen the look on his face when she kissed you. If you hadn't been his bro, I think he might have killed you both." Tommy chuckled and turned off the light. In minutes, they were both fast asleep.


	12. Chapter 12

****

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews! Apparently, nobody hated the last chapter. Here's a new one, but there might not be any more until next week. Enjoy!

Saturday

The day dawned bright and clear and found Jenny making coffee as usual. All the Rangers were coming for practice this morning as they all had plans for the afternoon. Jenny was pleased to see Kira arrive first. She nodded her approval and sent the girl out to the backyard to begin warm-ups. As the others arrived, she sent them out too. The lair wasn't big enough for eight people to work out. Jenny sent Tommy a thought, telling him that the teens were here and in the backyard. He acknowledged the message and said that he'd be right out with the others.

The other adults came into the backyard and introductions were made. Each adult took a teen to work with - Jason took Conner, Tommy took Ethan, Kim had Trent and, of course, Jenny had Kira. They spread out in the yard and began sparring with their partners. Jenny could hear the other adults teaching and encouraging the teens they were paired with. She, for the most part, was silent, which puzzled Kira.

Finally, Kira looked at her. "Are you okay?"

"Fine."

"You sound a little hoarse is all."

"Are you questioning me?" Jenny raised an eyebrow at the girl.

"No, I was just concerned. We don't want you getting sick again."

"Thank you, but I'm fine." Just then, six communicators went off.

Tommy answered it. "What's up, Hayley?"

"Monster attack by the school. From what I saw, all six of you need to get over there."

"Understood. Tommy out." He ended the call and looked at the others. "We'll check out the situation before we morph. Good thing the school is close."

They all raced around to the front of the house, jumped into cars and raced toward the school. When they got there, there was indeed a monster and several Tyrannodrones. They hurried toward the creatures, Tommy and Conner toward the monster and the others for the rest. The monster laughed. "I am Redaer Dnim - and I am your doom!"

The Rangers rolled their eyes at this proclamation - they had heard it before. Soon, the Tyrannodrones were defeated and they all faced off against the monster. He seemed to know every move the Rangers were going to make before they made it. Only Jenny seemed to be able to land any strikes on the thing. Jenny battled as the others regrouped. The monster took a sharp kick to the head and another to the chest before he decided he had enough. Just before he disappeared, he said, "I will defeat you and the last name on your lips will be mine - Redaer Dnim!"

As it disappeared, Conner retorted, "I can't even spell it, never mind saying it."

They all headed back toward the cars and returned to the house and went down to the lair. They found Jason and Kim working with Hayley and going over the tapes. Jason looked at Tommy. "Man, you guys took a beating."

"Tell me about it. What have you figured out?"

Hayley answered, "The only one who could hit him consistently was Jenny. I just can't figure out why."

Jenny sat in a nearby chair, thinking as Kim added, "It almost seemed like the monster knew every move you were going to make before you made it. Look here." Kim rewound the tape slightly and pointed as Tommy and Conner looked over her shoulders. "Watch as Conner throws this kick, and here, as Tommy throws a punch. He's already moving out of the way before you're even close."

Jenny's brow furrowed as she thought. Suddenly, she started to giggle which soon turned into full blown laughter. Everyone turned to stare at her. Tommy heard the hoarseness of her voice, but decided to deal with that later. She stood up, went to Conner and hugged him. "Thank you."

"For what?" the youth asked, puzzled.

"Your little wisecrack at the school just solved the puzzle for me." She turned and grabbed a piece of paper and a pen. "This is how you spell his name."

The others all looked at the paper where she had written REDAER DNIM. They all studied it and Jenny could see that Tommy, Hayley, Ethan and Kim had seen what she now knew. She addressed the others. "He seemed to know every move you were going to make before you made it, right? That's because he did - Redaer Dnim is Mind Reader spelled backwards! That's why he couldn't defend against me - I learned to make mental shields long ago. Subconsciously, I must have sensed what he was doing and automatically put my shields up."

Tommy frowned. "Which means either we all need to learn how to shield our minds and fast or you're the only one who can defeat him."

"Or I'm the only one who can distract him enough for you guys to destroy him" she replied. "I doubt I can teach you all to do it quickly enough. It's not like we have months here - probably not even days. The biggest problem with trying to teach you guys is we have no way to test it. I'm not a telepath. Not only that, but beginners take time to put up their walls and it requires concentration. You can't do that on the battlefield."

Jason spoke slowly. "But could you confuse it? If you're thinking about one thing, but moving on instinct, that's not really a thought, is it?"

Jenny considered this. "You mean like when you're at home washing dishes, but your thoughts are somewhere else? In theory, it could work, but you know that you have to be focused in battle. I just don't know. Regardless, we have to come up with a plan quickly - they won't want to give us time to figure it out."

They tossed ideas back and forth as Hayley checked the battle tapes for a weak point on the monster and scanned the police bands for any sign that the monster had returned. They hadn't come up with anything when Hayley suddenly interrupted. "He's back and he's just outside of town."

"Let's go" Tommy said. They all headed for the site. This time, Jenny headed for the monster while the others battled the Tyrannodrones. She kept him busy long enough for the others to defeat the minions. When that was done, she shouted, "Are you guys ready?"

"Ready!" came the reply. As she launched a flurry of attacks at the monster, she heard, "Dino Thunder - Power Up - Hah!"

Redaer Dnim shouted, "You'll pay for that!" and swiftly and unexpectedly, grabbed Jenny around the throat, lifting her off her feet and tightening his grip.

"NO!" She could hear Tommy's shout as if from very far away. Lights danced before her eyes as her lungs burned. In desperation, she sent him a thought. "Just blast him! I'll be fine!"

Tommy barked to the others, "Put 'em together!"

Quickly, the Rangers assembled the Z-Rex blaster, aimed carefully and fired. Jenny had kept the monster distracted by kicking and hitting it just long enough. As she began to lose consciousness, the beam hit him and he exploded. The blast threw her a good distance before she hit the ground and rolled. The monster grew moments later.

Tommy looked at the other Rangers, torn, but he knew his duty. "Let's do it."

As one, they called out, "We need Dino Zord power, now!" The Zords came and they put them together to form the Megazord. Redaer Dnim was giving them a beating when Kira had an idea.

"Guys, give me control of the Megazord - I know how to beat him! He's still reading our minds, but I can beat him!" The other Rangers hesitated for a second then turned all controls over to her. She began to fight the oversized enemy and soon had him on the ropes. A couple of minutes later, she delivered the fatal blow and all the Rangers cheered as the monster exploded for the last time. As quickly as they could, they exited the Megazord, de-morphed and hurried to where Jenny lay, still unmoving.

"Oh god." Tommy knelt down beside her and prayed as he reached to check her pulse. Reassured at the strong beat beneath his fingers, he checked to be sure she was breathing. He almost cried in relief when he found that she was. Tommy went to pick her up, but was stopped by Ethan.

"Hang on, Dr. O. We need immobilize her neck just in case it's broken before we move her." Ethan frowned as he worked, using sticks and belts from the guys as a makeshift brace. "That's the best I can do. Be careful when you pick her up - I'll support her head."

They got her to the car and Ethan rode with Tommy, making sure that she moved as little as possible on the drive back. Tommy was thinking furiously. He triggered his communicator as he drove. "Hayley, we've got an injury."

"I know - we're ready. Jason's on his way upstairs now."

Tommy parked in the driveway and jumped out of the car. Between him, Jason, Ethan and Conner, they got Jenny on a stretcher and down to the lair. Tommy directed Kira to put a blanket over the table before they put Jenny on it. Once she was in place, Tommy took her hand as Hayley started scanning her. The other Rangers stayed nearby, but out of the way as Hayley worked.

A few short minutes later, Hayley announced that Jenny was unconscious but nothing was broken. Just then, Jenny's eyes fluttered as she slowly regained consciousness. The first thing she saw was Tommy and she smiled. He smiled back in relief and said jokingly, "You know, this is getting a little old."

Jenny opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. She tried again, but still nothing. Panic flared in her eyes and she thought frantically to Tommy, "I can't talk!"

Tommy spun around and relayed the information to Hayley. Kim spoke up. "It might just be shock to the vocal cords - it usually fades with time." Everyone turned their attention to her and she shrugged. "After I stopped competing, I turned to the medical side of it. I've seen it before."

"How long does it take?" Tommy demanded.

"Anywhere from a few hours to a few days, usually" she replied. "In rare cases, it can take even longer."

Jenny frowned. "Screw this" she thought. Just as Tommy turned back to her, she closed her eyes.

"Jenny?" He wasn't sure what she was doing. At the gasp behind him, he turned again. There was Jenny's astral form.

"This is better than only being able to communicate with one or two of you" she said. "Is the monster beaten?"

Conner nodded. "Dr. O told us to blast him and we did. The explosion threw you out of the way. The monster grew and we called the Zords. We were getting our - um - butts handed to us, but then Kira had an idea and took control of the Zord and beat the thing."

Jenny raised an eyebrow at this and turned to Kira. "How? What did you do?"

Kira shrugged. "You've been teaching me to trust my instincts. My instinct said that Mr. Scott was right on with his idea. So I got the guys to turn over control to me and then occupied my conscious mind with something else. The rest, as they say, is history."

"Well done, my student. I am proud of you."

Jason inquired, "Just out of curiosity, what did you focus on instead of the battle?"

Kira grinned. "The only thing that can occupy me completely - my music. When I focus on that, the rest of the world kind of disappears."

"Kira, you have earned tomorrow off. As long as there are no battles, I don't expect to see you until Monday."

"Wow, thanks!"

Tommy addressed the other Rangers. "You guys too. Enjoy tomorrow."

The boys whooped in glee and all the teens left. Kim nudged Jason as Hayley left and the pair went upstairs, leaving Tommy and Jenny alone. She smiled gently as she walked over to a desk and sat down. "Well, another one defeated."

Tommy nodded. "You know, you have got to stop scaring me like that."

"I wasn't expecting him to grab me by the throat, you know."

"I know. It's just - when I was a teenager fighting Rita and Lord Zedd, death just didn't seem like a real possibility. Now that I'm older, I know that it can happen in a moment."

Jenny frowned and disappeared. She blinked as she returned to her body and sat up, ignoring the aches and pains. She pulled him close and held him. She thought to him, "If I have anything to say about it, I will never leave you."

He spoke out loud. "I know, but lately things seem to be trying to take you away from me. What happened in the other world, the attempted robbery at Hayley's, today. It's hard not to be a little afraid."

"Fear that makes you cautious is good, but fear that keeps you from living is not" she thought back. "I promise, no matter what happens, I will always be with you here." She rested her hand on his chest over his heart.

He smiled and kissed her. "Let's go upstairs and you can rest. I'll take care of things today." She nodded and together, they went up to the bedroom. Once she was settled on the bed, he asked her, "Do you want me to stay?"

"Just until I fall asleep, if you don't mind" she thought. He curled up behind her and held her gently until she fell asleep. He watched her sleep for a long time before he went downstairs.

****

Hours later

Tommy had kept his mind and his ears open all day in case she needed him. As he started dinner, he began to worry. He got the meal going and asked Kim and Jason to keep an eye on it while he checked on her. They had seen how preoccupied he was all day and agreed. He hurried up the stairs and eased the door open further. He could see by the condition of the bed that she had been restless. Her pant legs and shirt had ridden up a little bit. He stared at the revealed skin on her back.

He crossed over to the bed and gently raised her shirt higher. What he had thought was a shadow was, in fact, a large bruise accompanied by several smaller bruises. He frowned. Ranger healing should have taken care of some of this by now. He bit his lip as he thought. Either it _had_ taken care of some of it, or the healing was directed elsewhere.

Jenny stirred in her sleep and rolled onto her back, wincing as she did. Tommy was torn between waking her and letting her sleep. Without opening her eyes, she reached out, searching the bed. He took her hand and pressed his lips against her palm. She smiled slightly and relaxed. Tommy laid her hand across her stomach and slid off the bed. He had decided - she could sleep until dinner was ready. Tommy left the room.

Twenty minutes later, Jenny stirred and woke up. She still hurt, but not as badly and she was starving. She slid off the bed, grabbed some clothes and went to take a shower. Quickly, she showered and dressed. She frowned as she looked in the mirror. She looked frumpy. She left the bathroom, when it occurred to her why. She smiled as she realized that she was losing weight. She hugged herself and got a belt for her jeans. She cinched it as tight as it would go and was pleased to discover that it was just enough. She knew she would have to go shopping soon and sighed. She hated clothes shopping, but it was a necessary evil. She brushed her hair, braided it and headed downstairs, led by the smell of dinner.

She reached the kitchen and found Kim there, setting the table. Kim looked up, saw her and answered the question in Jenny's eyes. "They're out on the deck making dinner."

Jenny smiled at her and headed outside. She walked up behind Tommy and put her hand on his shoulder. He turned, smiled at her and wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her close. He kissed her quickly and said, "Feeling better?"

She nodded emphatically and he squeezed her gently. "Good." He began to pull food off the grill and onto a plate held by Jason. They went in and had dinner. Kim and Jason decided this would be a good time to tell 'Tommy stories', which he protested. Jenny reminded him that her friends had told him stories about her and it was only fair. He gave in and added his own bits to the stories, laughing as hard as the rest.

The rest of the weekend passed pleasantly and Monday morning found the return of Jenny's voice and Tommy going back to work. Tuesday, Jenny worked on the teleporter with the help of Jason and Kim. The pair were planning to leave Friday morning. Just after lunch, Jenny's communicator chirped. She answered it immediately. "Go ahead."

"Attack at the football field. We need you. Morphed." Kira's voice was slightly strained.

"On my way." Jenny raced back down to the lair, fear filling her veins. For the first time, she called out, "Dino Thunder - Power Up - Hah!"

Morph completed, she jumped on the green Raptor Cycle that Hayley had built for her and raced to the school. There were a dozen Tyrannodrones and a new monster. It laughed - "You can't beat Rage-On!" - and fired on Tommy. Jenny drove as fast as she could, but saw the beam hit Tommy squarely. It wasn't like most beams where it fired and was done - this one continued to hold Tommy in its grip. She launched herself off the bike and tried to tackle him, but only succeeded in knocking him out of the way. Now she herself was trapped in it - and it hurt. It stopped almost as soon as it had started and she dropped to her knees before she pulled herself up quickly. The Tyrannodrones had been cut in half by the other Rangers. The monster laughed again. "I've done enough damage here for now. I'll be back!" Rage-On and the remaining Tyrannodrones disappeared into a portal.

Conner spoke first. "Dr. O, are you okay?"

"I'm fine" was snarled back at him. Jenny felt her irritation rise. Why was he getting mad at Conner? He spoke again. "They'll close the school for the rest of the day. Go home. All of you."

Now Jenny was angry. Surely he wasn't giving her orders? Her eyes narrowed and she stalked over to her bike. She kicked it to life and headed back to the lair. Tommy appeared there a few minutes later. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

She gritted her teeth. "Excuse me? I was called." She headed toward the stairs, Tommy right behind her.

"Well, I don't know which idiot called you, but it wasn't necessary. Everything was under control."

"Don't call them idiots! They are doing the best they can!" Tommy started stomping up the stairs as she continued. "At least they were willing to call for help when they needed it - unlike you and the whole macho thing of 'I have to protect my woman even if she is a Ranger'!"

The door at the top of the stairs opened and Jason and Kim were startled to hear their raised voices.

"Don't you walk away from me when I'm talking to you!"

"You're not talking - you're nagging! And don't tell me what to do!" Tommy snapped back.

"Guess what, buddy? I'm not the one who needed help out there!"

"Well, who asked for your help? God, no wonder your husbands left you!" Jason and Kim winced at that and again at the return volley.

"At least I got that far! You can't even hold a relationship together long enough to get to the damn altar!"

"Yeah, well, they probably did it just to shut you up! At least I'm not stupid enough to marry anyone who'll sleep with me!" Kim barely covered her gasp.

By this point, they were in the living room doorway and Jennifer turned on Tommy. "You know what? I don't need this crap and I don't need you!" She stalked across the room and flung the front door open.

"Fine! I don't need you, either!" Tommy shouted after her just before she slammed the door shut behind her. Tommy turned on his heel and headed through the kitchen and out the back door.

Jason glanced at Kim and jerked his head toward the front door. At her nod, they both rose and headed in different directions - Jason out the back and Kim out the front.

Jason watched Tommy for a long minute. Tommy was beating the stuffing out of the large punching bag. He had to stop every two or three hits to stop the bag so he could start again. Jason made his way across the yard and silently braced the bag for this friend. He waited patiently, knowing Tommy well enough to know that he'd start venting soon.

Kim, for her part, had hurried out the front door after Jennifer. Kim caught up and walked beside her. After a minute, Jenny spoke. "If you want him, Kim, you can have him" she said bitterly. "I never want to see him again."

"What about the Rangers?" Kim pointed out. "There is still evil to fight and it isn't fair to doom four teenagers and the world just because you're pissed off at your boyfriend."

"**Ex**-boyfriend" Jenny answered harshly. "And what do you care? I'm sure you're pleased as punch that we broke up. Now you can have him."

Kim didn't even react to this other than to say, "I don't think that Jason would like that much."

"Well then, poor Doctor Oliver will be alone once more" she answered tartly. "And I can see why!"

"Just out of curiosity," Kim asked. "What happened before you two started fighting?" Jenny told her about the battle and what had led up to the fight. Kim inquired, "And it didn't occur to you that the monster's beam might have something to do with your attitudes?"

As Jenny considered this, a portal opened and the monster leapt out of it. She snarled, "I don't need this right now!"

Kim grabbed her arm. "Call for help! I'll buy you some time!" She ran at the monster as Jenny triggered her communicator.

****

Back At The House - One Minute Ago

"I mean, what the hell was she thinking?" Tommy wasn't really expecting an answer and was surprised when Jason spoke.

"Bro, I think the monster's beam did something to you two." Before he could say any more, Tommy's communicator went off. He continued punching the bag.

"It's _her_."

"Yeah, on the communicator. That means that it's Ranger business - not personal" Jason pointed out.

Just then, a voice came through. "Conner here. What's up?"

"Monster's back. I could use a little help here."

Jason paled and grabbed Tommy's wrist. "This is Jason. Where's Kim?"

"Covering me so I can call you! Damn it! I gotta go." The connection ended and Tommy and Jason headed for the lair. Tommy morphed immediately and they both jumped on the ATV and headed out.

They arrived just in time for Tommy to see Jenny sail through the air, hit the ground and her morph fail. He headed toward her as fast as he could, but Conner reached her first. She opened her eyes and looked at Conner. "Use your Triassic shield. Reflect his beam back at him. It might destroy him."

Conner nodded and turned back to the battle. "Cover her, Dr. O." he called to his mentor, who barely bit back a nasty reply. Jenny diverted his attention.

"Is Kim all right?" she asked faintly. Tommy looked around and saw Jason leading Kim and circling around the edges of the battle toward them.

"Looks like it" he answered shortly. Jenny closed her eyes briefly. When she opened them again, determination shone there. She shifted her body and struggled to stand up. "What are you doing?" Tommy demanded.

Jason and Kim arrived in time to hear her answer. "I'm doing what needs to be done - helping the others."

As she made it to her feet, he snapped, "Are you crazy?"

"No."

"You stay here. You're in no condition to fight" he ordered. "I'll go help them." He looked at Jason and Kim. "Keep her here."

Before they could respond, he took off. Jenny waited until he was out of earshot. She watched the battle as she remarked, "You know you can't stop me - not without hurting me."

"We know" Jason nodded.

Jenny pushed off the tree she had been leaning on, took a deep breath and morphed once more. Almost before her morph was complete, she was running back into battle.

Tommy saw her and was livid. A blow strong enough to dissolve the morph was **not** to be taken lightly. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Conner summon the Triassic shield just in time to reflect the beam back at Rage-On and it exploded. Much to everyone's surprise, the monster did not grow. With the monster destroyed, Jenny and Tommy felt their fury begin to disappear. Jenny's disappeared entirely. Tommy's merely faded to major irritation - and he knew why.

"Good work, guys" he told them. "Let's go." Tommy mounted the ATV and Jason climbed on the back. They took off as the boys mounted their cycles. As they took off, Kira shook her head.

"Boys. I'll call one of them back."

"No" Jenny stopped her. "I'll walk. Go ahead and take Kim back."

Kira climbed on her bike as Kim looked at her. "Are you sure?"

Jenny nodded. "I'll be fine."

"And you promise you're coming back?"

Jenny powered down and rolled her eyes. "Would you relax? Go on, now. You need to get looked at."

Kim climbed on behind Kira, fully aware that Jenny had promised nothing. Jenny waved as the pair took off. Slowly, she headed toward the lair. She remembered the fight full well and the horrible things she had said. Everything Tommy had said she had heard before and wasn't worried about it, but what was _she_ thinking? Shame stabbed her in the heart and she stopped walking.

In the lair, Tommy was pacing. He wasn't happy that she had decided to walk back. He was starting to wonder if she would even come back. He knew the things they said were under the influence of Rage-On's beam and that they hadn't meant them. The anger had made him say things that he knew would hurt her the most. He was thankful that he hadn't made any nasty comments about her daughter's death. He closed his eyes and thought, "Please come home."

Jenny was contemplating sneaking in, getting her things and leaving. She knew that he could track her through the Gem if she kept it, but would she? She heard his whisper in her mind. "Please come home."

"How can I?" she thought back. Tommy jumped. He hadn't meant to project, but apparently, he had so he decided to make use of it.

"I want you here. All that we said was out of our control."

"They say that the truth comes out when people are angry."

"But that wasn't our words or our anger. That was Rage-On's doing. If it helps, I'm sorry for what I said and I forgive you for what you said."

Her answer was a whisper in his mind as well. "I'm sorry, too and I forgive you, but how can I forgive myself?"

He sighed. "You just do. The same way I had to learn to forgive myself after all I did as the evil Green Ranger."

Jenny bit her lip and considered this. Tentatively, she moved in the direction of the lair. She couldn't help but ask, "Are you sure?"

Tommy smiled. "Positive. Come home, please."

A tear trickled down her face and she wiped it away roughly. He still wanted her around! She once again wondered what she had done to deserve him as she made her way to the outside entrance of the lair. She finally reached the small clearing where the entrance was and saw him waiting outside. Her step faltered for a moment. He turned and saw her and their eyes locked. The next thing she knew, he was holding her as tightly as she was holding him.

They held each other for a long time. Finally, Tommy said, "Let's go in." He kept one arm around her shoulders and she left one around his waist as they went to the lair.

"Is Kim really okay?" she asked.

He nodded. "A few scrapes and bruises, but nothing serious."

Jenny exhaled in relief. They went inside and upstairs, holding hands. They found Jason and Kim on the couch. Jason was holding her as she said, "She never actually said she wasn't coming back, but she didn't say that she was either."

His deep voice answered her gently, but firmly. "She'll come back. Those two balance each other like nobody I've ever seen. Don't worry."

Tommy grinned and cleared his throat. The pair looked up and saw them standing there. Jason grinned at his friend. Kim smiled at Jenny. Jason said, "I think that Kim and I are going to go out tonight. Want to join us?"

Tommy decided, "No. We're going to stay in. Have a good time." With that, he led Jenny upstairs and to their room. They both kicked off their shoes and snuggled up in the bed, just holding each other. They dozed off in each other's arms.


	13. Chapter 13

****

A Little Over A Week Later

Kim and Jason had left the previous Friday. Jenny had been more than a little amused that both of them had seen fit to pull her aside separately and give her The Talk. She had promised solemnly, but at the pair of looks she got right before they left, she started giggling. She pulled herself together until they were out of sight and then started laughing. Tommy gave her an odd look so she explained and he laughed too.

Now it was Friday again and they were planning to go out and maybe stop by the Cybercafe afterwards. Kira wasn't playing tonight, but all the Rangers would be there just to hang out. She glanced at the clock and smiled. Tommy would be home any minute, the Rangers would be here for training and then they were all free. It had been a quiet week monster-wise.

Tommy pulled into the driveway, glad another week of school was out. He was going to have to have conferences with a few parents next week, which he wasn't looking forward to. In a couple of weeks, it would be Thanksgiving and his mother had called him today to be sure he was coming. He thought it would be the perfect opportunity to have Jenny meet his family. He climbed out of the car and loosened his tie. He could grab his briefcase later.

He started toward the front door and stopped as a portal opened near the street. Elsa popped out with a smirk on her face. "Hello, Tommy."

"Goodbye, Elsa." He had barely taken half a dozen steps toward her when a number of Tyrannodrones descended on him. He knew it was too many for him to fight alone. As he started to battle, he mentally shouted, "JENNY!"

Jenny jumped at the volume of the shout in her head. She realized that he had to be close and raced to the front door. She threw the door open and hurried out onto the front lawn just in time to see Tommy take a nasty blow to the back of the head. He dropped and didn't move. Elsa moved quickly as Jenny started across the lawn. Elsa grabbed Tommy by the hair, pulled him up and pointed a wicked looking blade at his throat. Jenny skidded to a halt, frozen in fear.

"That's right" Elsa grinned. "You don't want to sacrifice him, now do you?"

A scream of brakes told her that the other Rangers had arrived. They jumped from the car and started toward the scene, but stopped when they saw what was happening. Elsa grinned wider and said, "Well, this has been fun, but we have to go now. Dr. Oliver has a meeting he just can't miss." She waved her arm and a new portal appeared, sucking them all inside.

"NO!" Jenny screamed and dropped to her knees. She stared at the spot where she had seen Tommy last, lost in her own mind. The teens ran over to her. Kira's voice finally broke through to her stunned mind and snapped her back to reality. She stood up and started into the house. The teens followed her down to the lair. She looked at them all. "Conner, Kira - start warming up. Trent, call Hayley and get her over here and then join them. Ethan, help me. We're going to start scanning for Dr. O."

Relieved when the teens moved without question, she turned her attention to the computers. She and Ethan started every scan they could think of to find Tommy. Jenny barely noticed when Hayley arrived and sent Ethan to join the others who were sparring.

As the scans were running, she thought furiously. She couldn't reach him telepathically as long as he was unconscious. She couldn't use the communicator for the same reason. She was at a loss for what to do. The scans finished one by one. None of them had come up with anything - except one. Hayley was studying the results.

"It's not him" she said finally. "But it is strange. The scan detected nothing at all there - not plant life, not animal life, nothing."

"A void. They're cloaking him somehow" Jenny said. Somehow, she knew it was right. "We can't go in blind, though."

Conner remarked, "Too bad you don't have a Ninjetti spirit like Dr. O does. You could use that."

Jenny stared at the boy. "I don't have my own, that's true, but I do have access to his." She stood up, crossed to the center of the room and called out, "I summon the power of the falcon!"

Just as she was about to give up hope, the falcon took form before them. He perched on the table and looked at her. "I know I do not command you, but I beg for your help. Your master has been taken and we need help to get him back."

"What do you ask of me?" the falcon inquired.

"We think we have found the place where he is being held, but we don't know for sure. If they are blocking his signal, it's likely that neither he nor we can be there and morphed. Will you be our eyes and tell us what awaits us there?"

"If they have blocked him so thoroughly as to keep you from finding him by his powers, it is doubtful that I can survive it."

Jenny paused in thought. She couldn't ask the falcon to sacrifice himself - it would be like killing a part of Tommy. "What about this? Will you check out the perimeter for us and see what you can? If you can check all the way without harm, then I ask that you do so, but do not put yourself in harm's way."

"That I will do." With a cry, the falcon launched himself off the table and disappeared through the wall.

Jenny turned to Conner. "I'm going to try and free him. We know that there will be Tyrannodrones guarding him and I'm counting on you as Red Ranger to lead the others and keep the enemy busy." At his nod, they all morphed and jumped on the Raptor Cycles and headed out.

Hayley watched them leave and said softly, "May the Power protect you all."

The Rangers dismounted their cycles a short distance from the voided area. The falcon flew up and perched on a nearby branch. "There are many of the enemy just within the perimeter. They all seem to be guarding a small cave. I cannot get closer without revealing myself."

"Thank you. It was what I expected." Jenny turned to the other Rangers. "I'm going to work my way around the outside and get as close to the cave as I can. You guys create a disturbance so I can get in. If you stay outside the boundaries, you should still be able to maintain your morphs."

They all nodded and separated. Jenny was aware of the falcon following her and was grateful. His sharp eyes might come in handy. Suddenly, he said, "I can go no further."

She nodded. "Thank you for your help. It's up to us now."

She listened closely and was pleased to hear the sounds of fighting. She eased up to the cave and wasn't surprised when her morph dropped. She saw a pair of Tyrannodrones at the entrance. Smoothly, she pulled and threw two knives. Each struck their target and she slipped out of her place, retrieved her blades and snuck into the cave as she put them away. About ten feet into the cave, the path turned and there was light.

Jenny peeked around the corner and froze. Tommy was strapped to a table and trapped in a beam. Just as she was about to move around the corner, she heard Elsa's voice. "Poor Dr. Oliver. Soon we will have drained all your powers and you will be helpless. I can't imagine what your STUPID little Rangers will do without you."

Jenny was relieved to hear Tommy answer. "Heard it before, Elsa. They might get beaten, but they never give up. They'll find me."

"Oh, I don't think so. This place has been cloaked to hide you for this very purpose. I'll take your powers for my Lord Mesagog and I'll take your life for myself. Perhaps I'll keep you as a pet to serve me."

"Or the Rangers will just destroy you. I like that little scenario, myself."

As Jenny watched, the beam suddenly grew brighter and she saw Tommy tense in pain. Elsa said, "Now that I've turned up the power a bit, you can't make your smart little remarks. I'm going to go and play with your Rangers for a while. By the time you see me again, you will have lost all your powers and quite possibly your Rangers."

Jenny could just see the edge of a portal as it appeared and waited until it disappeared. She slipped into the room silently and studied the machine. She pulled three plugs and the machine powered down. She unfastened the straps holding him and he opened his eyes. "Can you move?" she asked quietly.

"I just need a minute. She was stealing my powers and putting them there." He pointed with a shaky hand and Jenny turned. In the shadows was a large glass jar more than half full. She disconnected the tube on top of it and pulled it off the table it was sitting on.

"Hang on. This could get ugly." With that, she smashed the jar on the rocky floor. As soon as it was released, the power shot back into Tommy's body. He screamed in pain and curled up into a ball. She hurried to his side. "I'm sorry. I didn't know any other way."

She realized that she had to get him out of the void and let the Ranger healing do its work. She said, "Are you going to be okay?"

"Aw, man, that SUCKED!" he answered.

Jenny helped him to his feet, pulled one of his arms over her shoulders and wrapped her arm around his waist. "Come on, I've got to get you out of here."

As quickly as she could, she led him to the entrance of the cave. She saw that it was clear and got him out of the area as rapidly as she could. Finally, she set him down behind a tree where they could both hear the battle raging.

"I'm going to help the Rangers - you stay here and recover." Without waiting for his answer, she took off toward the fight. She saw Tyrannodrones and Elsa fighting the Rangers.

A voice above her said, "Can I help?"

Jenny looked up and smiled at the falcon. "Please, go and watch over your master." He took off immediately and she returned her attention to the battlefield. None of the Rangers were morphed having all been inside the field at one time or another. Jenny smiled grimly and raced toward Elsa.

Elsa saw her coming and dodged the punch that Jenny threw. Elsa said mockingly, "Aw, have you come to save your precious Black Ranger? Well, you're too late!"

"As long as he's alive, it's never too late. Let's dance." With that, she launched into a flurry of punches and kicks. The whole act was designed to make Elsa believe that Tommy was still her prisoner - and it was working.

Jenny was still battling Elsa when a welcome sound met her ears - Tommy's battle cry. She grinned as Elsa stared in disbelief for a moment. The sound seemed to breathe new life into the Rangers. Another voice joined in. "I don't think so, Tommy. I'm going to kill you."

Jenny glanced over to see that Zeltrax had jumped in. Tommy turned his attention to the newcomer. Jenny frowned before she turned her attention back to Elsa. Something wasn't right about how he was fighting, but she couldn't put her finger on it. Suddenly, Tommy's voice rang out, "Rangers, come together."

All the Rangers landed a parting shot on their opponents and ran, meeting in the middle. They stood in a circle facing outward - Jenny facing Elsa, Tommy facing Zeltrax and the other Rangers facing Tyrannodrones. "Well this is cozy" commented Kira.

Tommy said, "Conner."

Conner understood. "Are you guys ready?"

Five voices answered him. "Ready!"

As one, the six called out, "Dino Thunder - Power Up - HAH!" and threw themselves at their enemies. Once the Tyrannodrones were defeated, Conner barked, "Kira, Ethan - go help Jenny. Trent, let's go help Dr. O." They nodded and split up.

Trent and Conner stepped up to either side of Tommy as Zeltrax picked himself up off the ground. Tommy remarked, "Looks like the odds have shifted in our favor, Zeltrax. Give it up!"

"I'll see you again, Black Ranger. Count on it!" He teleported away. The three turned toward the other battle that was still raging.

Jenny, Ethan and Kira were moving quickly, but Elsa was holding her own. Jenny landed a kick squarely in Elsa's gut. Jenny snapped, "I'm going to teach you not to touch what doesn't belong to you. If you EVER touch him again, I promise you, it will be the last thing you do."

Elsa looked up at her. A quick glance around showed her that she was alone with six morphed and pissed off Rangers. She screamed in rage and opened a portal. "This isn't over, Rangers!" She jumped in and was gone. Jenny started after her.

She had almost made it to the portal when the voices of the others reached her. She hesitated briefly, but that was long enough for the portal to disappear. She turned to the others as they ran up to her. "Sorry" she apologized roughly. "Lost my mind for a second there."

"Come on; let's go back to the lair." Tommy turned to the Rangers. "You guys have your transportation, right?" They all nodded and he said to Jenny, "Care to give me a lift?"

"No problem." She was barely keeping her rage in check. She led him to her Cycle and got on. Once he was ready, she took off. She calmed considerably as she remembered the last time they had ridden like this, but the anger still bubbled beneath the surface. They met the other Rangers back at the lair and powered down.

Hayley greeted Tommy. "Welcome back."

"Good to be back" he grinned. He released the other Rangers and started telling Hayley about what had happened in the cave. He seemed unable to settle down and the two women exchanged glances.

"I think you need to scan him, Hayley" Jenny suggested.

"I don't think he can sit still long enough" she answered.

"I can. Watch." Tommy sat down in a chair and was perfectly still for all of ten seconds before he popped up again. "Okay, I can't. I just have too much energy."

Hayley's eyes widened. She turned to the computer and started typing furiously. Jenny sat next to Hayley as Tommy kept pacing the lair. As Hayley worked, Jenny got an idea. She beckoned to Tommy and led him over to the punching bag that hung near the corner. She braced it and nodded to him. He understood and began hitting and kicking it, trying to burn off the energy.

Tommy didn't stop until Hayley exclaimed, "Oh my god."

The pair turned their attention to her and she turned in her chair to face them. She held out her hands, one even with her ribcage and one over her head. She shook the lower one slightly. "This is where Tommy's power level usually is. And here" she shook the other one "is where he is right now. Where did all that power come from?"

"The grid" realized Jenny. "It's the only way. Elsa wasn't just drawing his power from him and the gem - she was drawing it from the grid, too."

"If we don't get it back to the grid" Tommy said grimly "the powers might burn out when I need them the most."

"Or worse, you might suffer damage from the power overload" Hayley added.

"No problem." Tommy and Hayley looked at Jenny. "See if the falcon can do it like he did for me."

Tommy grinned. "Good idea. Plus, maybe meditating will help me settle down a little." He quickly settled himself on the mats and closed his eyes. In minutes, he was deep into the meditation. Hayley was monitoring his power levels. Nearly half an hour later, there was a measurable drop in the power levels.

Jenny breathed a silent sigh of relief. It was working! She wandered around the lair before settling down to work on one of the components of the teleporter. It was almost done - it just needed to be assembled and tested. She knew that at some point they would have to test it on a human and Tommy wasn't going to be happy about who she had chosen. Once she had finished the part she was working on, she checked his power reading over Hayley's shoulder. Her eyes widened as she saw how little it had gone down. She did some quick math in her head and realized that it would probably be hours before he was done. She turned to Hayley.

"Do you need to get back to the Cybercafe?" she asked. Hayley shook her head.

"Not until almost closing - Trent's scheduled to work and I know he can handle it."

"Good. I think I might go nuts if I had to do this alone. I'm going to run upstairs and grab some food and something to drink - do you want anything?"

Hayley nodded and said, "Whatever you're having is fine, thanks." Jenny headed upstairs and threw together a plate of sandwiches and a pot of coffee. She returned as quickly as she could and they settled at the nearby worktable where they could still see the monitors, but not endanger the equipment.

They chatted lightly as they ate, learning more about each other. Finally Hayley said, "You know I'm your friend, but I was his friend first. So with that in mind-"

Jenny interrupted, grinning. "Is this the part where you threaten my life if I hurt him?"

"Yes. I may not be a Ranger, but there are other ways."

"That's the third - no, fourth - threat I've gotten. Kim, Jason, Logan and now you. Although I hear that you and Kira have used the same threat on Tommy."

Hayley shrugged. "You should have seen some of the girls he dated in college. Not a brain among them."

"But they were probably pretty and the pair made a good looking couple."

"Well, yes, but they were stupid. I don't know how they got into college kind of stupid. Of course, I think some of them dated him because he made them look better. You, on the other hand, are intelligent, have a sense of humor, and aren't expecting him to support you. I know that that's the kind of thing he wants in a woman."

"Really? And how do you know that?"

"He told me. Just before he left on the dig with Mercer, he'd broken up with one of the airheads and came over to vent about it. Keep in mind that he was pretty much living on his racing money. She told him that she was going to the club with some other girls and she all but said that she didn't want him to go. Then she asked him for money to go to the club with. Tommy had had enough and told her they were through."

"Good for him."

"Anyway, he came over after that and, while he was venting, he mentioned those things he wanted in a woman."

"Did you two ever date?" Jenny asked curiously.

Hayley shook her head vigorously. "I don't like him like that. Friend, brother, sure - but as a boyfriend, no way. He and I are too much alike for anything to have worked out even if either of us was interested. I am thankful everyday, though, that it was never a case of unrequited love. I don't think our friendship could have handled that." Hayley paused thoughtfully. "Although, from what I overheard, he's an excellent lover."

Jenny's face flamed instantly. "What do you mean, you overheard?"

"Some of his girlfriends thought that I wanted him and made sure that I would hear them talking about him and his - um - prowess. Of course, some of the things that they claimed that he did - well, it didn't sound like him at all."

"I've heard it said that people are completely different in the bedroom" Jenny answered with a straight face.

Hayley chuckled. "I suppose it's possible, then. Just highly unlikely."

"What about you? I don't think I've ever heard about you having a significant other."

Hayley shrugged. "I don't really have time for dating. Plus, I really don't want to have to explain where I'm running off to all the time. Maybe after the Rangers defeat Mesagog, I'll hire a manager for the Cybercafe and take some time to look for someone."

"Of course, you know that Tommy and I will expect to meet whoever you do find so that we can threaten their lives."

"Oh, of course." The two women laughed and continued talking. Hours later, they had become closer friends, assembled the teleporter and checked on Tommy often. It came time for Hayley to leave and she showed Jenny what to watch for on the monitors. With a final reprimand to call if something went wrong, she left.

She let her mind wander as she kept one eye on the screen. An hour passed and then two. Jenny frowned as she realized that there wasn't much of a difference in his power levels from a couple of hours ago. Before, it had been dropping steadily but now it was barely moving, if at all. Fortunately, he was nearly back to his normal power levels. She stood and stretched, not noticing that he was coming out of his meditation.

Tommy opened his eyes and watched her stretch for a few minutes. He saw that Hayley was gone and that alone told him how late it was. He knew that she had to be exhausted. A smile bloomed on his face.

Jenny sighed tiredly and sat back down in front of the monitors. She stared at the screen, but wasn't seeing it. She knew she had to stay awake and watch the monitors, but she was emotionally and physically drained. Her adrenaline and her anger were gone. Nothing but pure willpower was keeping her going and she was contemplating running and getting some music or something to keep her awake. She jumped when he spoke.

"We've done all we can." Jenny spun in her seat to find Tommy standing behind her. "The falcon and I have come to the conclusion that I'm supposed to be at this new power level. Not where I was when we got back, but higher than I was before."

Jenny smiled gently. "Does that mean that you can sit still now?"

"If I want to. Right now, I don't want to." He held out his hand to her. When she took it, he pulled her into his arms. "Let's go up to bed. We'll sleep in tomorrow."

"Today, actually."

"Today, then. Nobody's coming over before one o'clock anyway, so this is our best chance."

Jenny rested her head on his shoulder. "Sounds good." They held each other for a minute longer, and then headed up to bed.


	14. Chapter 14

****

A/N: I actually have a legitimate excuse for not updating - at least for the last two weeks or so. I've been dealing with some seriously bad stuff going on and - sadly - I forgot all about you guys! I'm sorry for that and I plan to put up another chapter or two this weekend to make up for it. Hope you like it! Oh, and a virtual cookie if you can figure out what song Jenny hums to herself later in the chapter!

Saturday noon

Tommy was in the kitchen making coffee. He had decided to let Jenny sleep in a little longer. When the phone rang, he dove for it, trying to answer it before it woke her.

"Hello?"

"Hello, son" John Oliver greeted him. "Your mother tells me that you'll be bringing a guest this year."

Tommy groaned. "That's not _quite_ what I said, Dad. I asked if it would be okay if I brought someone and said I'd let her know."

"You know your mother, Tommy. Is your guest a he or a she?"

"She. Don't tell Mom - I don't want Mom quizzing her."

His father laughed. "You know she'll do that anyway. The only difference is how much time she'll have to come up with the questions. Who is she?"

"Someone from high school - you've never met her."

"So she's just a friend?"

Tommy smiled. "She's way more than a friend, Dad."

"Oh, really? Do I need to get my tuxedo fitted?" he teased gently.

"Not just yet."

Miles away, John raised an eyebrow. "But at some point, I will."

"I hope so."

"So does that mean that you two will want to share a room?"

Tommy's mouth fell open. He stammered for a minute before he said, "I know the rules, Dad. No unmarried couples sharing a room or a bed under your roof."

"Tommy, I'm well aware that you're over thirty years old. I know that you haven't been serious enough about most of the girls you've dated to consider marriage before. If you're considering it now, well, that says something. Besides, I'm not so old and out of touch with the world that I don't know people live together before they get married."

"Dad - Mom can't hear you, can she?"

"Not unless she can hear me from the store."

Tommy relaxed slightly. "Good. I'm not quite ready for her to know yet. She'll figure it out when we get there. By the way, are David and Sam coming?"

"Yes. Sam asked if you were coming and said that he wanted to talk to you."

"Is something wrong?"

"Not that he said to me. He mentioned something about a vision, but that was all. You two will be here the night before, right?"

"That's my plan, but I haven't had the chance to talk to her yet."

"You might want to do that seeing as you only have a week and a half." Humor colored John's voice. "You might also want to bring up Christmas while you're at it."

"One holiday at a time, Dad."

"I hear your mother, so I'll let you go. See you soon."

"See you soon, Dad." Tommy hung up the phone and sighed. With all that had happened yesterday, he forgot to talk to Jenny about Thanksgiving. He poured two mugs and took them up to the bedroom.

Jenny was just opening her eyes when he came in. She smiled sleepily and said, "Morning."

"Morning. I brought you coffee."

She sat up and accepted the mug he held out to her. She took a swallow and studied him. He seemed to be a million miles away. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing" he denied quickly. "I just forgot something kind of important that I need to talk to you about."

She blinked as she processed what he had said. "Okay, what is it?"

"My mother called yesterday and asked if I was coming for Thanksgiving."

"Well, of course you should go. You haven't seen your family in a while."

"I, um, want you to go with me."

Jenny stared at him for a full minute. She spoke slowly. "You want me to go with you - to your parents' house - for Thanksgiving."

He backpedaled quickly. "You don't have to if you don't want to. We can just stay home and have dinner."

"Stop." She waited for him to look at her before she spoke again. "I never said that I don't want to go. You just caught me by surprise. Are you sure you want your family to meet me? Bringing a girlfriend to a family gathering is a big step."

"I know. I want you to go, but I don't want you to be uncomfortable."

Jenny giggled. "The first meeting is always a little tense."

"I'm sure they'll love you as much as I do."

"Ah, the blind hope of the innocent. Who all is going to be there?"

Hope bloomed in his eyes. "My mother and father, my grandfather and my brother." At her puzzled look, he amended, "My adopted mother and father and my biological grandfather and brother."

A memory clicked. "Didn't Hayley say something about your grandfather being a seer for the tribe?"

Tommy nodded. "Yes. Sam's the tribe's seer and David is my brother. He's the liaison between the government and the Tribal Affairs Council. I think David will be bringing his fiancée, Jasmine and my Aunt Ellen - my Dad's aunt - will probably be there."

"So it'll be a fairly small group." Jenny considered this and nodded. "Okay, that'll be easier than a big group. Of course, we'll both be getting the third degree."

"Probably" he agreed. "So you're going?"

"Yes." Unexpectedly, she frowned. "I'm going to have to do some shopping - I don't have anything to wear. What should I get?"

"Well, you can wear whatever you want for the trip, but something nicer for that day."

"That's not a lot of help. Dress, skirt, slacks - what?"

"Mom usually wears pants, but my aunt always wears a dress. I'm not sure about Jasmine, but she'll probably wear a skirt. You could probably wear that outfit you wore the first time we went out."

Jenny frowned again. "No, I can't. It doesn't fit. None of my clothes do."

"That's a problem. Do you want me to go with you?"

"Do you want to or are you just offering to be nice?"

"For some reason, I want to. Now, you need to get going before the kids get here. We'll go shopping afterwards."

Hours later found them at the mall, going from store to store. Suddenly, Jenny did a double take and walked over to a small display at a jewelry store. She was staring at a necklace in the window. "God, that's pretty."

Tommy heard the longing in her voice and looked over her shoulder. "Which one?"

"The one in the middle." Tommy studied the necklace. It was a sapphire and an opal together with small cubic zirconia chips forming the infinity symbol around them and set in yellow gold. Jenny continued, "I love sapphires and opals. Sapphire is my birthstone."

Tommy's brow furrowed as he thought. "So your birthday is in September? I missed it."

"It doesn't matter. You didn't know. Come to think of it, I'm not sure when yours is either."

Tommy took a breath. "It's in October."

"So I missed yours, too. We're even. Wait a minute." She closed her eyes a minute. She finally said, "So your birthstone is opal."

"I think so."

"I know so. I did a report years ago about birthstones and their significance." She returned her attention to the display for another minute. "Come on. We have shopping to finish."

They walked away, but not before Jenny cast one last longing look at the piece. Tommy noticed. When they reached the next store, he said, "I'll be right back. I just remembered there's something I need to get for the basement."

Jenny realized that it was code for the lair. She said, "This can wait. I'll go with you."

Tommy shook his head. "Then we'll be here longer than we have to be. You find some things to try on and I'll be back before you're done."

"Okay." Jenny browsed through the racks. Ten minutes later, she had only chosen a few pieces and sighed. The color obsession made shopping more difficult. Twenty minutes after that, Tommy returned, empty handed.

"They're out of what I was going to get" he explained. "The store had to order it for me." She accepted this without comment. "What's wrong?"

"I can't find anything. The color thing makes it a little more difficult."

He nodded. "It can, but you only have to avoid red, blue, yellow and white."

"Black, too."

"Technically, yes, but I don't think it matters since we're a couple."

She smiled at him. "Oh good. Because I saw this lacy little thing in a window a few stores back, but it was in black."

Tommy had seen it too and swallowed hard as he imagined her in it. "Maybe we could pick that up on the way out."

"That's what I love about you" she said smirking and turning her attention to the rack in front of her. "You have some of the best ideas."

A couple of hours later, they were finally home. They had already eaten and Jenny had an idea. She took the bags from him and said, "I'll put these away. You just relax for a while."

Tommy looked at her, trying to figure out what she was up to. She just smiled and headed upstairs. Rapidly, she took out all her old clothes and put away her new ones. She stuffed the old clothes in the bags and dropped them in the corner. She changed her clothes and pulled a small box out of the closet. Jenny closed the curtains and opened the box. She pulled out a dozen small candles and set them around the room, lighting them and humming to herself. She giggled as she realized what she was humming.

Tommy flipped through the channels, but couldn't find anything to hold his interest. Finally, he gave up, turned the television off and tossed the remote on the coffee table. He heard Jenny moving around upstairs and wondered what she was doing. Jenny's voice reached him. "Tommy, could you come up here, please?"

Tommy went upstairs and opened the bedroom door. He stopped and stared. Candlelight gave the room a soft glow. Jenny was stretched out on the bed and wearing the negligee that they had just bought. With a soft smile, she beckoned him over. As he crossed the room, she rose up on her knees. She kissed him deeply, stealing his breath. She pulled back and whispered, "Happy belated birthday, lover" and kissed him again.

When she released him, he commented, "I could get used to late presents every year, if they're like this."

"It gets better" she promised. She unbuttoned his shirt, pressing her lips against his skin as it was revealed. Soon the shirt was discarded and the rest of his clothes quickly followed. She tugged his arm gently and he lay down on the bed. "This is all for you." Without pausing, she swallowed him and kept him there until he was totally lost in the pleasure and shouted his release.

When he had recovered, he said, "You didn't have to do that."

She grinned. "Practice makes perfect. Besides, I'm not finished with you yet. There's still more to come."

A long time later, they were snuggled up in bed. Jenny was watching Tommy as he slept and her thoughts returned to their discussion that morning. He wanted her to meet his family! She hoped that it would happen at some point in their relationship, but she didn't realize that it would be so soon. She knew that if she thought about it too much, she'd only freak herself out. It was a big deal to her and wondered if it was as important to him. Her thoughts jumped from subject to subject for the next hour. Finally, she too fell asleep.


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Sorry for the delay everyone! Usual disclaimers apply. I'm going to post a second chapter right after this one since they go together.**

**Sunday Afternoon**

Tommy sat on the deck and watched as Jenny trained Kira. The boys had been sent home an hour ago. He'd been keeping an eye on Kira since Jenny had taken over her training. Sometimes he got the feeling that Kira was ready to quit, but then Jenny would say something and Kira would throw herself back into training.

His thoughts drifted back to the night before. They had made love several times before sheer exhaustion had claimed them - well, him. He decided that it was the best birthday present he'd ever gotten and hoped that Christmas would be something similar. He was lost in his thoughts and didn't hear Jenny come up on the deck.

Jenny studied him for a minute. He looked happy and she was pleased. "What are you smiling about? You look happy."

He looked up at her. "I am. I'm smiling because of you." He pulled her into his lap. "Kira's gone?"

She frowned briefly. "Yes, I let her go. She was getting too frustrated to focus."

Tommy nodded. "The boys weren't much better. I think that they need a few days off."

"With any luck, they'll have it over Thanksgiving. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Mesagog decides to leave well enough alone over the holiday."

"Amen to that. Fortunately, that's less than a week and a half from now. Maybe Anton will be able to keep him under control for a few days."

Jenny had recently caught up on the current Ranger history. She knew about the rough patch that the Rangers had gone through when Mesagog's true identity had been revealed. "I don't know, Tommy. Even Trent has said that it's getting harder and harder for Anton to gain any kind of control."

"I know. I'm hoping that Anton's memories of the good times during the holidays will give him strength."

"You are the eternal optimist, aren't you?" she said fondly.

"There are worse things to be. Besides, you know you're just as bad as I am."

"True" she admitted. "In spite of everything I've been through, I still manage to hope for the best."

"Oh, while I'm thinking of it, we're going out for dinner tonight."

"We are? Why? Where?"

"Yes, we are. For your belated birthday. Maxwell's."

Jenny stared at him in disbelief. "Are you serious? That place is ridiculously expensive."

Tommy smiled. "I'm serious. You can wear that fancy new dress in the closet."

"What fancy new dress? I don't have a fancy new dress."

Tommy frowned. "That's odd. When I got my shower after the boys left, I could swear I saw one in the closet."

Jenny smiled. "Maybe you and I are defining fancy differently." She slid off his lap and headed for the door. "I need to get a shower anyway. Maybe I can solve the mystery while I'm upstairs."

Tommy hid a grin and followed her. In the bedroom, she was gathering things for her shower as he sat on the bed. Once she was done, she walked over to the closet, opened the door and stared. There was indeed a fancy new dress hanging there. It was a deep, rich green and floor length with a slit up both sides of the skirt and princess sleeves. Tommy leaned back on his elbows and grinned.

Jenny just stared at the beautiful dress, afraid to breathe. Slowly, she reached out and touched it with a shaking hand. "Oh my god." Her voice was tinged with wonder. She took it out of the closet, held it up against her and turned to the full length mirror. She was admiring it when she caught sight of his reflection - and he was grinning like a Cheshire Cat. She knew he had done it and spun around.

"How -? When -?" She couldn't even speak.

"I had a little help" he admitted. "When I told them what I wanted to do and why, they were willing accomplices."

"They? Hayley is probably one of them, but who else?"

"Don't be too surprised when Kira does that new move perfectly the next time." He stood up and headed for the door. He tossed one more comment over his shoulder. "Hurry up and get your shower - it gets better." She stared after him, stunned.

Jenny had just finished getting dressed after her shower when she heard Tommy calling her. "Your ride is here!"

"My what?" She went downstairs, puzzled. He met her at the bottom of the stairs. She repeated her question.

He merely smiled and said, "I'll see you later" before he headed upstairs. Jenny opened the front door and found a man in a uniform standing there.

"Ms. Allen? Your appointment is in half an hour across town. We need to leave soon."

"What appointment?"

"That's all I'm allowed to say. Are you ready to go?"

Jenny shrugged and nodded. She pulled the door shut behind her. It took her a minute to realize that there was a limousine in front of the house. The man opened the door and waited for her to get in. She glanced back at the house and climbed in. She chatted lightly with the driver (she found out his name was Williams) as he drove across town. Part of her wondered what was next while another part worried about the cost. Could Tommy really afford all this?

The limo finally pulled up in front of a building and she waited for Williams to open the door. She stepped out and he ushered her inside. A woman stood behind a beautiful marble topped counter and he told her, "Ms. Allen is here for her appointment."

"Oh, yes." The woman turned her attention to Jenny. "I'm Sarah. Welcome to the Reefside Spa. We'll show you to a room momentarily."

She walked away and Williams turned to Jenny. "I'm supposed to give you this." He pulled an envelope out of his pocket and handed it to her. "I'll wait in the car."

Jenny looked at the envelope in her hand. Slowly, she opened it, pulled out a single sheet of paper and unfolded it. She recognized the handwriting immediately and began to read.

'Jenny,

I wanted to get you the best birthday present ever, but since I can't possibly compete with what you gave me last night, this will have to do. Just relax and enjoy your day. Our reservation is at eight so I'll pick you up at seven thirty. As you said last night, there's still more to come.

Love,

Tommy'

Jenny spoke softly. "Oh, you wonderful crazy fool. All I need is you." Gently, she refolded the note and tucked it back in the envelope. She looked up as Sarah reentered the room.

"Ms. Allen? We're ready for you now."

**Back At Home**

Tommy picked up the phone and called Hayley. Once she answered, he began talking quickly. "I know I'm forgetting something. I got the reservations, got out my tuxedo, ordered the flowers and finished the shopping. What else was there?"

"Calm down, for one thing. God, if you're this bad getting ready for a date, how bad are you going to be when you propose someday?" Tommy's mouth went dry and Hayley sighed in the silence. "Just breathe, Tommy. It's only a date. Trust me; you're already going above and beyond. Setting the bar as high as you are, you're screwed for Christmas."

"No, I'm not" he contradicted quickly. "I already know what I'm doing for Christmas. After that, I'm screwed."

Hayley bit her lip to keep from laughing. When she had herself under control, she said, "You two have gone out countless times before. This is no different. And don't argue with me. You've covered the flowers, your tux, the reservations, and the limo I assume. Didn't you tell me you got her a present, too?"

"Yeah. I know where it is."

"Then it sounds like you're set. The limo will drop her off at home while you're over here getting ready. You go to dinner, go dancing, give her the gift and the rest is history. Everything will be fine. I haven't seen romance like this since the last novel I read."

"I owe you, Hayley."

"You better believe it. I'll see you in a couple of hours. Why don't you work off some of that stress first?"

"Thanks. I'll see you later."


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: Here's the second chapter I promised. Enjoy!**

**Hours Later**

Jenny arrived home to find the house empty. In the bedroom, she found another note.

'J,

Hope you're enjoying your day so far. Hayley's going to come over to help you get ready.

Love,

T'

Right on cue, Hayley called out, "Jenny, are you home?"

"Upstairs!" she called back. Hayley found her in the bedroom on the edge of tears.

"What's wrong?" she asked, surprised.

Jenny shook her head. "I'm fine. They're happy tears" she explained.

Hayley looked relieved. "I was worried for a minute. Come on. You can tell me about your day while we do your hair."

The two women chatted while Hayley did Jenny's hair and makeup. Once that was done, Hayley said, "I have to go now. I assume that you can get dressed. There's another box for you in the closet with the dress. I'll see you later."

Before Jenny could say anything, Hayley was gone. She opened the closet door and picked up the box. She knew that it hadn't been there this morning. It was beautifully wrapped and she almost didn't want to open it, but her curiosity got the better of her. Slowly, she opened it and stared at the contents. There were shoes, purse and a wrap to match the dress. There was also a garter belt, stockings and other under things with a small note attached.

'Okay, I admit it. This part is as much for me as it is for you.'

Jenny grinned and began to get dressed. Once she was ready, she glanced at the clock. If he wasn't late (as usual), he'd be there in less than five minutes. She picked up her wrap and purse and headed downstairs to wait. Two minutes later, the doorbell rang. She took a deep breath and opened the door. Tommy stood there, dressed in a tuxedo and looking, she decided, completely fine.

Tommy, for his part, forgot what he was going to say. Her dress fit her like a second skin, with no hint of what she was wearing underneath. Her hair had been piled on her head with small ringlets framing her face and he caught a faint whiff of her perfume - the one he loved. He finally found his voice. "Wow. You look incredible."

"So do you." Her voice was slightly breathless and he smiled at her.

"Are you ready?"

"Yes." She picked up her wrap and purse, stepped out on the porch and shut the door behind her. He offered her his arm and she took it. Tommy led her to the limo, where the driver was holding the door. She climbed in with Tommy right behind her. She looked around and gasped. A small bouquet of roses was there - each one a different color.

"Do you like them?" She couldn't speak, but the sparkle in her eyes told him the answer. "Rose colors have meanings. I picked each one for a reason." He picked up the small vase and set it in her arms. She inhaled their fragrance as he continued.

He gently touched each one as he spoke. "Red is, of course, love. Yellow is joy and friendship. The dark pink is gratitude and the light pink is admiration. The red and yellow combination is for happiness. The white is for purity and innocence. The seventh one, orange, is for desire. All things that you have brought into my life or that I feel for you."

Jenny couldn't stop smiling. She carefully set the vase back where it had been and said, "They are so beautiful. Thank you."

"You're more beautiful."

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder."

"True, and tonight, there will be jealous women all over because their men will want you."

"Flattery will get you anywhere."

"The only place I want to be is by your side." The car slid to a stop at the restaurant. When the door opened, they both climbed out. In short order, they were seated and were given menus. Jenny frowned as she realized that she had been given a menu without prices. She knew that some high class restaurants had no prices on any of their menus and some of them had menus with and without prices. Tommy saw her frown. "What's wrong?"

"I - nothing." She had changed her mind about what she was going to say.

"Sweetheart, tell me."

"This is going to sound really stupid, but - does your menu have prices on it?"

"Yes, why?"

"That's odd. Mine doesn't."

"Don't worry about it."

Jenny closed her menu and set it on the table. "Honestly, I've been worrying about it off and on all day."

He studied her for a moment before he replied gently, "I can afford to do this. I'm not putting myself into debt and you deserve to be spoiled once in a while. I wanted you to feel like a princess today."

"Well, I did" she admitted.

"Then it's money well spent" he smiled. "One day, we'll sit down and talk about finances - well, mine anyway since I have a vague idea about yours. Just for tonight, enjoy yourself and don't worry."

She smiled sheepishly as she picked up the menu once more. "Sorry. I shouldn't have questioned you."

"Forgiven and forgotten." They placed their orders and talked through their meal. Just before dessert, Jenny excused herself to go to the ladies room. While she was gone, Tommy pulled a small velvet box out of his pocket and put it on her side of the table. When she returned, he stood to reseat her.

She noticed the small box as she sat down. "What's this?"

"You won't know until you open it, will you? The present fairy came by and left it for you."

She eyes sparkled with humor as she teased gently, "Weren't you a good boy so that the present fairy would leave you something too?"

He had anticipated her response so he said, "Of course I was. She brought me you." Jenny blushed prettily as he said, "Open it."

Slowly, she reached out, picked up the box and opened it. Inside, was the necklace she had seen at the mall with a matching pair of earrings. "Oh" she breathed. Tommy couldn't help but grin at the look of absolute delight and wonder on her face. She gently lifted the necklace from the box and looked up at him. "Will you help me put it on? My hands are shaking too much."

He took it from her and fastened it around her neck. He sat back down, studied her for a moment and said, "I'm glad you like it."

She shot him a look of fond exasperation. "You knew I would."

"Not necessarily. I like the way a Ferrari looks, but I don't want one."

She cocked her head. "No, a Ferrari definitely isn't you." Deftly, she changed the earrings she was wearing for the matching ones. Jenny put the other earrings in the box and slipped the box into her purse. Dessert arrived and after that, the check. Tommy dropped his credit card on the tray without even looking at the bill.

When the maitre d' returned, he signed the slip, put his card away and said to her, "I'll give you the choice. We can go home or we can go on with what I planned next. Either way is fine."

Jenny considered this briefly and smiled at him. "The night is young. Lead the way."

He took her hand and led her to the far side of the restaurant. There was a lounge area with a small dance floor and a small band. "Would you like to dance?"

"I would love to." They found a small table near the dance floor where she left her purse and wrap. They stepped onto the dance floor and into each other's arms. A couple of hours, several dances and many stolen kisses later, they headed out into the night. During the ride home, Jenny snuggled up to Tommy. "I had a wonderful time. Thank you."

He gently raised her chin until she looked into his eyes. She could see the desire that simmered there. His voice was husky as he said, "Who said it's over?" and claimed her lips in a searing kiss that left her breathless and trembling. He pulled back just enough to get a good look at her before he kissed her again and again. He didn't stop until the car stopped at home.

They got out, thanked the driver and went in the house. The door was barely shut behind them when he started kissing her again. Now he let his hands wander as well. Jenny was lost in the sensations and didn't resist when he picked her up and headed for the stairs. Thankfully, she hadn't shut the bedroom door completely. He bumped it open and gently set her on her feet near the bed.

Reverently, he undressed her, raining kisses and caresses as he went. Once he finished undressing her, he stripped himself and returned to kissing and touching her. It was a long time before he readied himself and slid into her willing body. She was so aroused that she climaxed instantly. He waited patiently for her to come down before he started to move. Slowly, and then faster, he made love to her. His hands continued their light touches as he moved and they kissed often. They reached the pinnacle together.


	17. Chapter 17

A/N: I know I haven't updated in forever and it's a short chapter. I'm trying to post this as days as much as I can for a while.

**The Monday Before Thanksgiving**

Tommy was due home any minute. Jenny knew that when he got home, they were going to pack the car for the trip to Angel Grove. Tommy had a half day on Wednesday, so they could leave as soon as he got home. For simplicity's sake, Jenny had suggested that they take her car and he had agreed. As she waited, she couldn't help but think about meeting his family. She was a bundle of nerves and nearly screamed when someone touched her shoulder. She spun around to find Tommy looking puzzled.

"What's wrong?"

"Sorry. Just a bad case of nerves."

He bit his lip as he thought. "Honey, if you don't want to go -"

"It's not that. I just - what if they don't like me? What if they think I'm not good enough for you?"

"They'll like you. And, I hate to say it, but I can almost guarantee they'll think you're not good enough for me. They never think anyone is."

"Never?"

"Never. They adored Kim when we were dating, but even she wasn't good enough. Don't worry about it."

Jenny was about to say something when her cell phone went off. She rolled her eyes and answered it as Tommy went to change for practice. Ten minutes later, she hung up and was seething. When Tommy came back downstairs, he found her on the back deck. He poked his head out the door. "Everything okay?"

Jenny merely shrugged and continued to stare across the lawn. Tommy came out and stood nearby. The anger he sensed was radiating off of her in waves. "What's wrong?" he asked.

She shook her head. "I can't talk about it yet - I'm too angry." Tommy drew in a relieved breath. She continued, "I have something I have to take care of tomorrow morning. Either you can train Kira or I can cancel her practice."

"I can handle it, if you want."

"Thanks." Jenny took a deep breath. "I'll be down in a little while."

Tommy nodded and left her alone. He headed for the lair and found the Rangers already warming up. He joined them and, five minutes later, so did Jenny. He noticed that Jenny was acting like her usual self. He sighed silently and hoped that she would tell him later what was going on. Jenny had Kira and Trent for practice and, after they were finished with warm-ups, she took them outside.

Jenny worked with Kira and Trent, pleased at how far they had come. Kira had gained skills that would continue to be a part of her even when she no longer had the Ranger powers. Jenny had done some research and found that nearly every Ranger lost the powers at some point - either because they handed them off or because the power was destroyed. The only exception seemed to be the Ninjetti powers.

When practice was over, she praised them both. Jenny informed Kira, "By the way, you'll be training with Dr. O tomorrow morning." Kira was puzzled, but nodded in agreement. Jenny said, "I have something I have to take care of and it will be a good time for him to evaluate you and see how much you've learned."

"So it's a test?" the girl asked.

"No. An evaluation and a test are different. You'll see." She let them go and watched with a small smile on her face as they hurried back to the lair. Slowly, she followed them as her thoughts returned to her problem. By the time she reached the lair, it was empty. She made her way up to the house.

By the time she reached the bedroom, Tommy was out of the shower and getting dressed. He greeted her, "There you are. I was going to look for you if you hadn't come in soon."

She smiled at him. "Thanks for giving me time to calm down and get my head together. I'm sorry I was snappy."

"You weren't. I'm going to go make dinner. Why don't you grab a shower and then we'll eat and talk?" She nodded her agreement.

Twenty five minutes later, they sat down to have dinner. Tommy spoke first. "So, what's going on?"

"There's a problem at the company and I have to go deal with it."

"Back in Illinois?"

"No. There's a branch here in Reefside. Do you remember when I was telling the Rangers my history and I said that I had applied for a teaching position in Angel Grove?"

Tommy looked thoughtful. "Vaguely. I think you said that you tried for it, didn't get it and someone suggested you try Reefside."

She nodded. "Part of the reason I tried Angel Grove was it was close to this branch without being on top of it."

"Part of the reason?"

She waved her hand. "The rest of that is a story for another time. Anyway, there's a problem at this office and I have to go play the big bad Ice Queen and fix it."

Tommy chuckled. "Sorry, I just can't see you like that."

"Wait until tomorrow morning and you will."


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: Thanks to my favorite pair of readers for reminding me that I need to update again. I've been wrestling on a part further on and lost track of the passing time. No excuse, really. I'm going to TRY to update again this weekend. I hope the longer chapter makes up for the delay.**

**Tuesday Morning**

Jenny's eyes snapped open when the alarm went off. Quickly, she stretched over Tommy and slapped the button. She had asked him to set the alarm earlier so she had plenty of time to get ready. She slipped out of bed, turned the alarm off, started the coffee and went into the bathroom to do her makeup. Ten minutes later, she was done with that. She went, grabbed two cups of coffee and returned to the bedroom.

Gently, she woke Tommy before returning to her task. She dressed as she and Tommy talked. He watched as she transformed herself from the fun, loving woman he knew into a businesswoman he didn't. With practiced ease, she twisted her hair into a bun and pinned it. She slipped on the jacket of her black business suit, buttoned it and went to the closet. She reached up on the shelf, took down a box and pulled a pair of shoes from it.

She looked at them in distaste. She hated these shoes, but they completed the look she was trying to effect. She decided not to put them on until she absolutely had to. She retrieved a purse and began putting things in it. Tommy watched in amazement at the number of things that disappeared into it. Finally, he spoke. "How do you do that?"

Jenny grinned. "It's all in how you pack it. It's not really any different than loading a car for a long trip. By the way, have you finished packing for the trip to your parents' house?"

"Except for anything I'll still need, I'm ready. What about you?"

She sighed. "I think so." She put the last few things in the purse and closed it as he finally stood, stretched and started getting dressed. Jenny retrieved her shoes, put them on and grabbed her purse and coffee cup. "Ready?"

They went downstairs as Kira came in the front door. The girl greeted them and headed for the back yard, as usual, saying nothing about the change in Jenny's appearance. Tommy turned to kiss Jenny before she left and realized that he didn't have to bend down to do it. He took a step back and looked at her shoes. Six inch spike heels and pointy toes - he remembered that guys in college referred to them as 'ball busters'. Still, he could appreciate what they did for her legs.

"Like them?" she asked.

"Depends on what you're going to use them for" he answered with a grin. "Of course, I'm not sure how intimidating you'll be looking as good as you do."

She kissed him quickly before she replied, "But they won't even notice that once I do this." That said, her expression changed. It was as if she had slipped on a mask. She looked cold and unreachable. After a moment, she dropped the look and said, "Sometimes it's hard to get out of that role once I've been in it a while. I'll try to be rid of it by the time I get home."

Tommy shrugged. "We'll cross that bridge when we get to it. In the meantime, you go do what you have to do. Just call me if you're going to be really late."

She nodded. "By the way, I've hired a car for today, so if you want to pack my car for the trip, go ahead." She kissed him again and headed for the door.

Tommy headed out back and warmed up before he and Kira set out on the run. He was pleased at the changes in Kira since Jenny had taken over her training. She was stronger and quicker than she had been. He could see it on the battlefield, too. She was more confident in her abilities. Now Kira, like Jenny, required little or no recovery time after the run before they could move into sparring. Tommy sparred with Kira, starting off easy and gradually raising the difficulty until she was actually having to put effort into blocking his shots and returning a few of her own.

When he finally called a halt, he was very proud of her and told her so. "You've made good use of your training time with Jenny."

"It's not like I have a choice. She's tougher than any teacher I've ever had for anything."

"I thought that you wanted this?"

"Oh, I do. But if this is the way that Wolverine trained her, I'm glad she went there instead of me. I have the feeling that she's actually being a little more forgiving than he would be."

Tommy laughed. "That's probably true. Come on - we need to get ready for school."

As the pair walked to the house, Kira commented, "We don't ever see Jenny dressed like that. What's going on?"

Tommy frowned. "Something to do with a company she owns."

Kira stopped on the stairs to the deck. "She's _that_ Jennifer Allen?"

"What are you talking about?"

"If she's the same one, my mom knows of her - and respects her. She somehow took over a company that was on the brink of bankruptcy and turned it around in less than six months. Now it's not only solvent, but it turns a handsome profit and makes charitable donations all over the country."

This information peaked Tommy's curiosity, but now was not the time. Instead, he said, "It's possible. Let's get going. We can talk about this later."

Twenty minutes later, Tommy was locking the door as he left the house and still thinking about what Kira said. As he drove to school, he picked up his phone and dialed. When the other person picked up, he said, "Hayley, can you do something for me?"

**Across town**

Jenny walked into the boardroom, her mask firmly in place. Her voice was icy when she spoke. "Well, ladies and gentlemen, shall we start the meeting?" Once everyone else was seated, she said, "I believe this meeting is to be teleconferenced with the other involved offices. Is it done?"

A young man answered her. "Yes, Mrs. Allen." He pointed to three screens across the room. "The one on the left is the Illinois office and the one in the center is the Texas office. The one on the right is your attorney."

She nodded. "Well done. Thank you." She turned her attention to the screens briefly. "Now who wants to tell me what the hell is going on here?"

When no one spoke, she said, "Mrs. Byerley, since you are the one who brought the problem to my attention, why don't you tell me?"

Crystal Byerley, Jenny's friend and attorney, spoke. "Certainly, Mrs. Allen. As you know, each of the offices specializes in a different field of research and occasionally they work together. However, when a project reaches a certain stage, approval must be given before it can be continued. The medical department in Texas has reached this stage with one of its projects. It has come to my attention that they have not received approval and have continued without it."

"Were they denied approval, didn't seek approval or didn't wait for it?"

"Initially, they didn't seek it. Eventually, they did apply for approval, but did not put their project on hold while they waited for it."

"I see. Texas office - would someone care to explain?"

A woman spoke up. "Rita Green, Mrs. Allen. The only reason that we didn't wait for the approval was that there was a time factor. In the past, we have seen our research set back years because we didn't get approval as quickly as we've needed it."

"Explain."

"Some of our experiments must be handled within days if not hours to prevent degradation to samples and so on. We often can't apply for the approval early because we don't have all our data together or the project never reaches the stage where approval is needed. Once we do apply for approval, it often takes weeks to get an answer due to someone having to read and re-research what we've already done."

Jenny noticed people in the Illinois office and the Reefside offices nodding in agreement. She said, "Illinois office - Mr. Bradley. John, what do you have to say about this?"

The man in question shrugged. "What am I supposed to do? Just approve projects willy-nilly without understanding them?"

"So what you're telling me is that we need properly qualified people to handle the approval requests for different fields."

He spluttered for a moment and then replied, "I think we've done pretty well in spite of that handicap."

"But it's obviously not enough if we're having problems like this. I know we don't have all the offices available to ask, but can someone tell me how many approvals each location submits in a year?"

The young man who had spoken before piped up. "I can. In the last year, the Illinois office submitted forty six, the Texas office twenty three, the Florida office thirty eight and the Reefside office - being the newest - three."

"Thank you, Mr.-?"

"Stewart."

"Thank you, Mr. Stewart. Now that's one hundred and ten in one year and that's with a new office that's barely up and running. It's only going to get harder. We need a better solution and we need it immediately. Suggestions?"

**Hours later**

Tommy sighed in relief as the hot water poured over his body. He knew Jenny was going to be less than happy when she found out that they hadn't called her when the Tyrannodrones attacked. He hoped that this wasn't a precursor to a monster attack. He didn't have the faintest idea how he would explain to his parents that he couldn't come for the holidays after all if there was.

After a long time, he climbed out of the shower, feeling much better. He dried himself and threw on some clothes before he headed downstairs. He was surprised to find Hayley waiting for him in the kitchen. "What are you still doing here, Hayley?"

She tossed a large, fat envelope on the kitchen table. "That's the information you asked for. Do I even want to know why you wanted it?"

"Something Kira said made me curious."

"Why don't you just ask her?"

"Because I don't want her to get the wrong idea."

"Yeah, because going behind her back will give her the right idea."

Tommy hesitated. In a way, that's exactly what he was doing, but he wasn't doing it to be sneaky. "Different people see things different ways. When I see her, I see an incredibly strong woman. She sees someone who just does what has to be done. Kira sees a mentor. You see a friend. I'm curious about how the rest of the world sees her."

"So you're not only looking for information, you're looking for another point of view."

"Exactly."

Hayley waved a hand at the envelope. "Well, that should help. If I were you, I'd tell her about this."

"Actually, I'm planning to at some point."

"Good. I'll see you later." Hayley left and Tommy heated some leftovers before he sat down with the envelope. He opened it and began to read as he ate. A couple hours later, the phone rang, startling him. He grabbed it and answered it. "Hello?"

"It's me." He barely recognized Jenny's voice. "I'll be home as soon as I can, but I'm not sure when it will be."

"I don't suppose there's anything I can do to help, is there?"

"Not unless you happen to know a chemist, a doctor or a half a dozen other people that happen to need jobs."

"I might know a few. Want me to make some calls?"

On the other end, Jenny smiled. "I just might take you up on that, but not until after the holiday. I'll see you when I get home."

"Okay." They hung up and Tommy went back to his reading. He was learning a lot about her company and how she was viewed by the business world. He moved from the kitchen to the living room and continued to read. He was finished by nine and had discovered a lot that he suspected she'd never tell him. He gathered the papers, tucked them back into the envelope and tossed it on his desk in the den.

Tommy was watching television when headlights splashed across the wall. He rose, headed for the door and opened it just as she stepped on the porch. As she came in the house, he asked, "So how did it go?"

"It went" she said shortly. "I don't know enough about the damn project to know if they're lying to me or not. If they are, heads will roll. Either way, it's obvious that changes need to be made."

"Are you hungry?"

"No."

"Why don't you grab a shower and relax a little? Then we can talk or go to bed or whatever." He remembered that she had warned him about her possible attitude when she got home. He was trying to gauge her mood, but was having a hard time getting a read on her.

"I will in a little while. I just want to sit down for a bit. I've been on my feet all day." She sat down on one end of the couch.

"In those shoes?"

"Yes." Without another word, he sat down on the couch, grabbed her legs and set her feet on his lap. Gently, he pulled one shoe off, dropped it on the floor and began to rub her foot. She sighed in pleasure, shifted slightly to be more comfortable and rested her head on the back of the couch. He continued for several minutes before he started on the other one. He worked his way to her calves and found that they were extremely tight and knotted. He knew that this wasn't the best way to do this, so he set her feet on the floor, stood and held out a hand to her. She looked at him, puzzled as she took his hand.

He pulled her to her feet and said firmly, "Come on. I know what will help." Tommy led her upstairs, sat her on the bed and stepped into the bathroom. She could hear water running as he returned. He unbuttoned her jacket and laid it on the bed. Piece by piece, the rest of her clothes joined it. He steered her toward the bathroom. "Get your shower and then I'll see if I can't work a little magic of my own."

Slightly puzzled, she did as he suggested. When she got out of the shower, she dried herself and then wrapped the towel around her. She padded back into the bedroom and headed for the dresser to get some clothes, noticing he wasn't in the room. His voice stopped her. "No. Don't get dressed."

She turned and saw that he was standing in the doorway holding a tray. On the tray was a bottle of wine, two glasses and a plate with cheese, crackers and some apple wedges. He set the tray down on the dresser and said, "I'll be right back."

She sat on the bed and waited. He returned a minute later with a TV tray, set it up near the end of the bed and set the tray on it. He poured a glass of wine and handed it to her before pouring one for himself. He grabbed one of her pillows and tossed it near the foot of the bed close to the tray. Jenny sipped her wine as she watched him. "What are you doing?" she finally asked.

"That would be telling" he teased gently. He hoped that taking care of her would help her get rid of the burden she was so obviously carrying and ease her mood. He pointed at the pillow. "Lie down on your stomach."

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Getting a little kinky, Dr. Oliver? I didn't know you had it in you." Nonetheless, she did as she was directed.

"Ah, yes. That's another conversation we still need to have." At her questioning look, he quoted himself. "'Remind me sometime to tell you about my fantasies with you.' You never did."

"I had forgotten about that" she admitted as she settled on the pillow. "I'd assumed that it's probably standard guy type fantasies."

"I might surprise you. For now, we'll let sleeping dogs lie." He climbed on the bed and straddled her thighs, turned around so that he could reach her calves easily.

"Dogs? Please tell me that you're not being literal" she teased.

"Oh, hush." Jenny could hear the humor under his gruff tone. She was about to say something else when his warm hands began to massage one calf. Whatever she had been going to say was lost as she groaned. She surrendered herself to his ministrations, occasionally nibbling on the food that sat nearby. Once he had finished her calves, he turned around and started on her thighs, working his way up to her back.

When he pressed his hands against the small of her back, she couldn't muffle her gasp of pain quickly enough. Immediately, his touch became almost feather light. "Sorry" he said quietly.

"Can't be helped. It's going to hurt." He could hear the strain in her voice. "Sometimes that's just the way it is. Just do what you have to."

She took a deep breath and pressed her face into the pillow. She hoped that it would muffle her enough. He went back to work and five agonizing minutes later had the worst of the knots undone. She sighed in relief when she felt the muscles loosen enough for him to massage them properly.

Tommy could sense the change in her and was able to relax as well. He'd hated having to hurt her, but was relieved that she understood it was the only way. He was also beginning to understand why it had been such a turn on for her when she had massaged him. Touching her all over and trying not to turn it into something else was becoming more and more difficult and a certain part of his anatomy was letting him know it. He hoped that Jenny wasn't aware of his dilemma.

Unfortunately (or fortunately) for him, she was. She could feel the muscles in his legs getting tighter as he controlled himself. She could also feel his rigid flesh slide along her buttocks as he leaned forward on the upstrokes to her shoulders. She decided to up the stakes a little and see if she could push him into giving in to what he so obviously wanted and needed. The next time he ran his hands up to her shoulders, she moaned. As he continued working, she gradually became more vocal, moaning and groaning in obvious pleasure. She wasn't prepared for what letting go like that would do to her.

Finally, he had about all he could take. He pressed his body against hers and whispered in her ear, "I want you."

Her voice was unexpectedly rough. "Then take me."

As he readied himself, she drew her knees up under her so that she was kneeling with her face pressed against the pillow. He realized that she was close to turning wild and that wasn't what he wanted - this time. As he moved behind her, he murmured, "Easy, sweetheart."

She hissed in satisfaction as he slid into her, deeper than ever. He began stroking in and out of her, enjoying the change in sensations with this new position. She was panting with need and began meeting his strokes. She begged, "Harder. Faster. Please, baby!"

He recognized that her need outweighed his want. He locked his hands around her hips and pulled her tightly against him. "Are you sure?"

"God, yes!" At her words, he began to thrust into her as hard and fast as he was able. The sounds she was making was starting to drive his desires and he did his best to retain some control. As she thrashed under him, he lost the last threads of his control and slammed home one last time as he orgasmed.

As he returned to reality, he realized two things - she hadn't made it with him and he was still hard. He slipped out of her and was about to grab a new packet from the drawer when she turned on him. Her eyes glittered as she said, "Don't worry about it."

"Jen-"

"Do you realize I've been home for over a month now?" She pulled him back on the bed and gently pushed him down. She pulled the used condom off him and tossed it into the nearby trash before straddling him. "I've been taking my pills."

As he processed this, she adjusted him and took his length into her. "So it's safe?" he growled.

In answer, she proceeded to move, rising up until he was almost out and then sliding back down. They both moaned at the new feelings - both of her on top and nothing between them. Tommy's hands caressed her body, encouraging her to move faster. Experimentally, he thrust up into her as she was on the down stroke and was delighted with the loud moan that elicited from her. He continued to meet her rhythm for several minutes. Once again, he found himself on the brink of completion. "Jen-"

"Me, too" she gasped out. He reached up, caressed her breasts and lightly pinched her nipples. That was all it took before Tommy was treated to the sensation of her orgasming around him with nothing to dull it. The feeling was the last nudge he needed and he followed her into the void of pleasure.

Jenny lay on top of him, listening to his racing heart as it gradually returned to its normal pattern. He was stroking her spine in a soothing way and she almost purred in contentment. They remained this way for several minutes before she reluctantly pulled off of him and went to the bathroom to clean up with him right behind her. They climbed into bed, curled up together and soon they were fast asleep.


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: This chapter is so long I had to break it into parts. Plus we're getting close to the part I'm stuck on so I'm kind of trying to buy time while I figure it out.**

**Wednesday - Late Morning**

Jenny stood in the middle of the kitchen going over her mental checklist. The bags were packed and in the car, the cooler she had loaded this morning was in there. She had tossed some music in a bag and it was waiting by the door for Tommy to add to it. She had an envelope full of papers stashed in her bag in case she had a little time to work. A quick glance at the clock showed her that Tommy would be home in less than ten minutes. He was going to change and then they were going to be on their way.

She couldn't help but feel like she was forgetting something, but she didn't know what it was. She double checked that she had her morpher, phone, keys, spare keys, wallet and all her other junk. She was still trying to figure it out when Tommy came home. "Are you ready?" he called out.

She sighed as she answered him. "Beats me. I feel like I'm forgetting something, but I don't know what."

He had been heading upstairs while she spoke, but stopped in his tracks. "The last time I felt like that I ended up grabbing a morpher before we went to Illinois."

"Really?"

He nodded. "Do us both a favor and do a quick tour of the house, lair and check over the car. That might spark something." She nodded and headed for the lair as he continued up the stairs.

A quick tour later and she still had nothing. The feeling she had forgotten something had left her and she relaxed a little. She decided that was all she had needed to do - make sure. She met Tommy at the bottom of the stairs. "Apparently, I wasn't forgetting anything. I've checked everywhere and the feeling is gone. Maybe that's all I had to do - make sure everything was secure."

"Could be. If you're ready, then let's go." Jenny grabbed the bag by the door and Tommy added a handful of CDs to it. They headed out the door. Jenny started the car and put in some music while Tommy locked the house and climbed in the car. As she backed out of the driveway, Tommy mentioned, "I've been meaning to ask you. If you have all that money, why do you drive a piece of junk car?"

"Because it hasn't died yet" she answered.

"You could sell it to some teenager who wants to fix up a car" he pointed out. "They'd need something cheap."

"There's not a self respecting teenager in Reefside who'd buy this car. Have you actually looked at what most of your students drive?"

"Yes, I have and I can't believe that you used 'self respecting' and 'teenager' in the same sentence."

"Kids today have higher standards than we did at their age. Where we were happy to have a car that ran, they want something newer and better. It's the difference in how they're raised."

"Come again?"

"When I was a kid, everything was different. Hand me down clothes were a fact of life, a spanking was just a spanking - not a beating - and manners were taught from the time you could walk and talk. You learned respect for your elders. You learned a job by doing it, not by having a degree. You didn't throw a fit in the store to get what you wanted. When you got older, you learned that you couldn't always have everything brand new, sometimes you had to make do with something less than new and work up to it. Now parents have gone so far the other way, they're often going into debt and running themselves ragged just so that their kids can have hundred dollar shoes and seventy dollar jeans that are pre-ripped - never mind the computers and video games that they _have_ to have because eighteen other kids in their class have them. And god forbid that they aren't in seven extracurricular activities. Of course, the extracurricular activities are necessary because all the schools are cutting funding for the activities that they once provided - except sports. And then the parents have gone crazy in that area too, because they can't bear to have their little darling's feelings hurt because a ref's call goes against them or their kid didn't get a chance to play in every single game."

She stopped for a breath and Tommy commented wryly, "I thought you were going to warn me before you got up on your soapbox again."

"You started it. Kids are spoiled today in a way that would make my grandmother and great grandmother turn over in their graves."

"I'm not arguing that with you. I'd never win."

"Oh, please. You can't name five kids that aren't like that."

"Conner, Ethan, Kira, Trent and, um-"

"And?"

"And Devon" he finished triumphantly.

A wicked smile crossed her face. "Devon has a crush that rivals Van Gogh's. Instead of sacrificing his ear, he sacrifices his pride and self respect. And I'd bet the equipment he uses doesn't belong to Cassidy or the school. Conner has his soccer and I've seen what he drives. Ethan has a laptop that computer geeks around the world envy. Kira's guitar isn't cheap, either. I'll give you Trent, but only because we don't know how he'd have been if his parents were still raising him. But I'd bet Mercer paid his parents pretty well and the art set he uses isn't cheap either. He mentioned that he'd had it for a long time."

"So they have some nice things - so what?"

"Spoiled means willful or selfish because of having been overindulged. Can you honestly tell me that in the whole time you've known them they've never been like that? I know for a fact that at least two of them wanted out of the whole Ranger thing."

"One of them. Conner did. Kira wanted out before she knew what she had gotten into."

"Okay, but then there's Ethan with his video game obsession."

"And he's gotten that pretty well under control. Okay, they might have all started out that way, but they've grown into mature human beings. Being a Ranger tends to do that."

"So your argument is that they were, but no longer are?"

He corrected her. "Might have been, but definitely are not now."

She considered this. "I'll concede your point if you'll concede mine."

"In the interest of a peaceful ride, it's a deal."

"As if you weren't enjoying the debate."

"I've got no problem with debating. I just think that it should be something that both parties have equal ground. That's a debate. Otherwise it's just a one sided argument."

Jenny laughed and they changed the subject. They chatted all they way to Angel Grove, sometimes funny, sometimes serious. Just as they reached Angel Grove city limits, Tommy's cell rang. He glanced at the caller ID and answered it. "Hi, Mom. What's up?"

He listened for a minute and said with laughter in his voice, "Yes, we can stop at the store on the way. What do you need? Uh huh, yeah, okay. Who's making all that noise in the background? No, I haven't talked to David in a while. Okay, we'll see you in a while then. Love you too. Bye."

"Sounds familiar. What does she need?"

"Apparently, she needs sage, nutmeg and eggnog. Turn left - there should be a store a couple of blocks down."

Jenny made the turn and commented, "Not used to loud holidays?"

"Not like this, no." Jenny shot him a puzzled glance, but he didn't say any more until the car was parked. "Jen, I don't know if it will matter or not, but just in case, you should know."

She turned off the car and gave him her full attention. "What's wrong?"

Tommy took a deep breath. "I haven't talked to my brother in a while. I didn't know that he and his fiancée are foster parents. They have a couple of kids that they're fostering right now and they brought them with."

Jenny considered this for a moment. "How old and are they boys or girls?"

"Mom said that they're twins - one boy and one girl, five years old."

"Here's the good news - it's not Christmas and we have to come up with gifts at the last minute."

"What's the bad news?"

"It's not Christmas and we have to come up with gifts at the last minute. Shopping for kid gifts is a lot of fun."

"If you say so. So it's okay?"

She looked him in the eye. "Sweetheart, thank you for the warning. I'll be fine. At least I wasn't blindsided by it."

"Yeah, well, if it wasn't for Mom forgetting things, we both would have been."

She shrugged and opened her door. "We'd have handled it. Come on, let's get what we came for and get there."

An hour later, they pulled up in front of the house. Jenny studied it for a minute. Two stories and painted a cheerful blue, the upstairs rooms had bay windows and there was a large picture window in the living room. "This is a big house for just the three of you."

"Mom inherited it from her mother a few days before she got promoted at her job. They wanted her to oversee a new office that was being opened and it happened to be here."

"That was awfully convenient."

Tommy looked startled. "I hadn't thought about it at the time, but I guess you're right."

"Yeah, your mom inherits a house and gets a promotion that just happens to move you and put you in a position to become the Green Ranger." She shook her head. "Sometimes I wonder if we aren't just little chess pieces being moved around at the whim of some larger power."

Tommy opened his door as he commented, "If that's true, I have nothing to complain about. I get to save the world, have a good job, a nice house and an incredible girlfriend."

Jenny blushed at the unexpected compliment and climbed out of the car. She came around the car and kissed him quickly. "I love you, too."

"Come on, we'll get the rest of the stuff later." He led her to the front door and into the house. "Mom, Dad, I'm home!"


	20. Chapter 20

Jenny stood back and watched, a little sad and a little envious, as Tommy was greeted with hugs from both his parents and a kiss from his mother. Two other men waited their turns to greet him as well as a woman. Jenny guessed that this woman was Jasmine and the younger man was David. The older man must be Sam. She realized that Sam was watching her intently. She returned his appraisal.

Once Tommy had greeted everyone, he returned to her side. "Everyone, this is my girlfriend, Jennifer Allen. This is my mom, my dad, my brother David, his fiancée Jasmine and my grandfather Sam."

Jennifer smiled. "It's nice to meet all of you. Thank you for including me, Mr. and Mrs. Oliver."

Tommy's mother shook her head. "Sarah and John, please. And Tommy's friends - and girlfriends - are always welcome in our home."

John spoke next. "You aren't the Jennifer Allen of Future Tech Industries, are you?"

"Yes, I am" she admitted reluctantly.

Before anyone could say another word, a shriek rang through the house followed by, "Give me back my dolly!"

A small boy raced into the group, followed closely by a girl. As the boy dodged around Jenny, she snatched the doll out of his hands. Without thinking, she used her mommy voice. "Don't tease your sister and don't take her things."

Unaware that a stunned silence had fallen, Jenny crouched and handed the doll to the girl. The child looked in her eyes and shyly said, "Thank you."

Jenny felt like she had been punched in the chest. She paled slightly as she stared into the eyes of the child before her. Youre welcome. She stood once more and glanced at the faces around her. Color returned to her face and she flushed slightly. "Sorry. I didn't mean to step out of line" she apologized to David and Jasmine.

David shook his head. "No apology needed. This is Jessica and Robert."

Robert looked up at Tommy. "Will you play with me? I'm tired of dolls" he finished scornfully.

Before Tommy could answer him, Jasmine said firmly, "Maybe in a little while, Robert. They just got here and haven't even taken their coats off yet. Go play."

The children left the room, and Sarah said, "Well, come in. No sense standing in the foyer. Tommy, you know where the coats go."

Tommy grinned and said, "Yes, Mom." He handed her the bag from the store, slipped his coat off and took Jenny's. As he did, he thought to her, "Are you okay?"

"Yes" she thought back. "We'll talk about it later."

Sarah said, "Jennifer, why don't you come with me and Jasmine to the kitchen and we'll get to know each other?"

"Mom." Tommys voice held a warning as Jasmine led Jenny to the kitchen.

"I'll be good" Sarah answered him. "I just want to know a little more about my son's girlfriend. It's my right as a mother."

Before Tommy could answer her, Sam said, "I wanted to speak with you anyway."

John said, "David and I will be in the living room when youre done."

Sam nodded and watched Tommy hang the coats in the hall closet. "How are you, young falcon?"

Tommy smiled at the old man. "Not as young as I once was."

"That holds true for all living things. I wanted to speak with you about a vision I had. It concerns you."

In the kitchen, Sarah bustled around gathering snacks. "I know the boys will want something to nibble on before dinner - they always do."

"Can I do anything to help, Sarah?" Jenny asked.

"Oh, no, dear. You just sit there with Jasmine out of my way and this will be done in a minute."

Jenny opened her mouth to speak, but Jasmine spoke first. "Do not waste your breath" she advised. "I have already tried it. When she wants our help, she will tell us."

The younger women shared a smile. "Now, would you like something to drink, Jennifer?" Sarah asked.

"Jenny, please. I'm fine, Sarah, but thank you."

Jasmine looked at Jenny. "You handled Robert very well. Do you have children?"

"No."

"You must have babysat a lot, then. You have the voice of a parent."

"Only when I have to."

"You're getting ahead of me, Jasmine" Sarah grumbled good naturedly. "I have other questions for Jenny first."

Jenny shook her head, smiling. "I'll make it easier for you. I met him in high school here years ago. A few months ago, I ran into him at Reefside High when I was interviewing for a job there. I start teaching after winter break. Between then and now, I've been married twice and divorced twice. Yes, I own Future Tech Industries. I am completely in love with your son. Did I miss anything?"

"Well, you took the fun out of part one" Sarah commented with a smile. "But there is still part two. How did you two start dating and when?"

Jenny frowned. "I was new to Reefside when I applied for the job. I ran into Tommy and he invited me over for dinner so we could catch up. At some point, I mentioned that I was staying in a hotel and asked about the housing market. He offered me the use of one of his spare rooms. I agreed, but only until I could find a place. I had had a crush on him in high school, but as we lived together, I realized that what had once been a crush had turned into love. I was completely stunned when he admitted that he loved me. That's when I told him how I felt."

"So do you share more than the house now?" Jasmine asked.

Jenny turned pink as David's voice came from the doorway. "Jasmine!"

She shrugged. "It is the way that girls talk, my heart. No different than the locker room talk of men."

Sarah interrupted, "Did you want something, David?"

"John and I needed refills. He also mentioned something about snacks."

Sarah handed him a couple of cans from the fridge. "Tell my husband that snacks will be out shortly." After David left the kitchen, Sarah said, "I believe that Jasmine asked you a question, Jenny."

"Yes, we do" she acknowledged. "We share thoughts, ideas, respect for each other and yes, before you ask, a bed." She grinned wickedly. "Were you looking for details?"

Sarah grimaced. "No, I don't need details about my son's sex life, thank you very much." She picked up a couple of plates and left the room.

Jasmine whispered, "Perhaps we can trade that kind of talk another time."

Jenny was startled for a moment and then giggled. Before she could answer, Sarah stepped into the room and waved at the girls. "Come look at this."

Puzzled, the two girls followed Sarah, who stopped them in the hall just outside the living room. She put her finger to her lips and pointed. Jasmine and Jenny peeked around the corner. Sam and John were talking, but what drew their attention were the other two. David sat on the couch with Jessica on his lap reading her a story. Tommy was laying on the floor on his stomach playing with Robert. Jenny smiled softly at the sight. The women slipped back into the kitchen.

Jasmine commented, "Someday Tommy will make a great father."

"There's more to being a great father than just playing with the kids. You have to take care of them and keep them safe." Jenny nearly choked on the end.

"Are you okay?" Sarah asked, worried.

"I'm fine. I - just need a breath of air. I'm going outside for a minute." Jenny headed for the back door and paused a moment before she stepped outside. She spoke quietly. "I hope you both realize how lucky you are."

The door was barely shut behind her before, Sarah called out, "Tommy!"

"Be there in a minute, Mom."

"Right now!" Tommy was surprised at his mother's tone. He got up quickly and headed for the kitchen.

"I haven't even been here an hour, Mom. I cant have gotten in trouble already" he said as he entered the kitchen. A quick look around showed him that Jasmine and his mother looked concerned and Jenny was nowhere to be seen.

"But I can" she said. "I don't know what set her off, but she took off outside." Sarah pointed at the back door.

As Tommy crossed the kitchen, he said, "What was said just before she left?"

"We had seen you and David playing with the children" Jasmine answered him. "I said that you would make a great father someday and she said that it took more than playing with the kids to make a great father. She said that you have to take care of them and keep them safe. She seemed to choke on the last part and then she said that she needed air and left."

"Oh hell" Tommy swore. "I'll get her."

Jasmine stopped him. "What did we say that was wrong?"

Tommy hesitated. "Nothing. It's not my place to talk about it, but if she says I can, I'll tell you when we come back in."

Without another word, he headed out the door. He looked around the yard and noticed that she wasn't there and the side gate was open. He hurried through the gate and out to the street. He looked both ways and spotted her near the end of the block, walking quickly with her head down, shoulders hunched and her arms folded. She turned the corner as he raced after her. He reached the corner and called out to her, but she didn't seem to hear him. His heart almost stopped when she crossed the street without checking for traffic. Fortunately, the streets were quiet.

He finally caught up with her a little while later just outside a small park. He frowned. He was getting something in his head, but it wasn't words. It was more like a jumble of emotions. Fear, despair, misery, pain, relief, guilt and several others he couldn't name. He took her arm and shook her gently. "Jenny?"

She raised her head and looked at him. "I just needed some air. I'll be okay."

The haunted look in her eyes said something different and he wrapped his arms around her. "I'm here for you, sweetheart. You know that."

"I know." She sighed tiredly. "I'm just tired of it hurting all the time. Rachel told me she was fine and that she forgave me. I just can't forgive myself. When it comes down to it, I killed her."

"What?" Tommy was stunned. "No, you didn't."

"I was the one that let her dad keep her for extra time. I was the one who set the time for her to be home. I was the one who -" She took a breath. "I was the one who pulled the plug so to speak."

Silence fell between them for several minutes as Tommy tried to process what she told him. Jenny misinterpreted it. "You have every right to be mad at me. I didn't tell you because I couldn't even deal with it."

She pulled away from him and wandered a few feet away. She closed her eyes, that day replaying in her mind. "Her dad called me, said that they had been in an accident and they were at the hospital. I hurried over there, but by the time I got there, she had already been pronounced brain dead. They were keeping her alive on machines until I got there and could say goodbye. They wanted to know if I would donate her organs. I hadn't even had time to process that my baby was gone. I signed the paperwork over her father's protests. I let them take whatever they wanted. Later, I learned that they were able to use most everything she had, but I didn't care. I still don't really."

Tommy came up behind her and settled his hands on her shoulders. "I'm not mad at you. I just wish there was something I could say to make it better - even if only a little bit. You were doing the right thing."

"And that's how the Powers That Be reward me? By killing my only child?"

"Rachel is the one that told you that you needed to move on. She told you what the gem wanted from you when it chose you. It's possible that she had served her purpose here and was needed to serve a different purpose."

"What?"

Tommy spoke slowly, but sure of what he was saying. "She had to be born for her to die and be ready when she was needed. If she hadn't died, you would never have met up with me again. You'd still be in Illinois. You might never have found the gem. Even if you had, you wouldn't have known what it was or what to do with it. I went with you and was able to recognize the gem for what it was and what to do with it. She had to be the one to give you the gem's message or you wouldn't have listened. And from what you have told me, I'm guessing you weren't happy before."

"So the one bright spot in my life had to go out for me to be happy?"

He turned her to face him. "Are you happy with me? Generally speaking, of course."

Jenny thought about it for a minute and realized that he was right. "Yes" she said, slightly surprised. "I am."

"Then, if that's why she had to die, she can move on, too. Her mission is complete."

For the first time in a long time, Jenny felt peace settle over her and a weight she didn't know was there lifted. She drew a deep breath. "Yeah, I guess it is."

Tommy saw the change in her and breathed a silent sigh of relief. "Are you all right now?"

"Yes. Let's go back. I hadn't realized that it had gotten so cold." She shivered and Tommy wrapped an arm around her shoulders as they started back.

They were about half way back when Tommy remembered something. "By the way, what upset you earlier?"

"That child - Jessica - has Rachel's eyes. Not literally, I'm sure, but it was such a shock to see them again."

Tommy made a mental note to look at Jessica's eyes at some point. "Did you even notice when you used your mother voice everyone got quiet?"

"Yes. I really was out of line, no matter what David says."

"He's not worried about it so you shouldn't be. You know, Mom and Jasmine are really worried about what they said that upset you."

She sighed. "They should probably know, but I really don't need the pity. I also don't want to ruin their holiday."

"Not knowing will be worse."

"It would save time if we just told everyone at once." Jenny frowned. "Your dad seemed to know who I was. I wonder if he knows."

Tommy opened the gate and said, "Possibly. By the way, I did a little research the other day - well, Hayley did it for me. The day that you had your meeting, after practice, Kira mentioned that we never see you dressed like you were and wanted to know what was going on. I said that it had something to do with your company and she realized who you were. Her mother respects you because of what you did for the company. It made me curious, so I asked Hayley to get me more information."

"Find anything interesting?"

"You'd be surprised at what I find interesting about my girlfriend. Anyway, I wanted you to know I wasn't going behind your back or anything."

Jenny stopped outside the door. "Why would I think that?"

"Because I didn't ask you."

"Were you getting information on me or the company?"

"A little of both. I guess it wasn't so much getting information on you, but another point of view about you - how others see you."

"What did you find out?" she asked curiously.

Tommy smiled at her. "That you're more amazing than I already thought you were." Jenny rolled her eyes and he chuckled. "Too much?"

"It was a bit over the top" she answered. She remembered a similar conversation a few weeks back and grinned at him, seeing that he remembered it too. He pulled the door open and ushered her inside. She was barely in the door when Sarah and Jasmine both started apologizing. Finally, Tommy spoke up.

"Mom, Dad's not paying to heat the outside."

Sarah looked at her son and realized that he was still in the doorway and unable to close the door since they had stopped Jenny in her tracks. She pulled Jenny further in and noticed how cold her hands were. "You shouldn't have been out so long without a coat" she scolded gently. "Tommy -"

"I got her back as quick as I could, Mom. What was I supposed to do - throw her over my shoulder and carry her back?" Jenny's eyes sparkled at him in sudden humor.

"That would have been interesting" she thought to him. She spoke aloud. "He really did, Sarah."

"I'll make something hot to warm you two up and we'll have dinner a little earlier."

Jenny took a deep breath. "Sarah, before you do that, there's something that you all need to know."

Sarah studied her for a moment. "We'll compromise. I'll make hot drinks for everyone and then you can say what needs to be said. It'll only take a few minutes. Tommy, go tell the other men that were having a family meeting at the table in five minutes."


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: Everyone thank Cool Diva for the cyber kick to my butt, reminding me that I haven't updated this story in quite a while. Unfortunately, I've had writer's block and no beta so I'm not sure when the next chapters will be coming. But please don't hesitate to poke me and remind me from time to time.**

Tommy nodded and left the room. Jasmine addressed Jenny. "I have learned that means that you do whatever you must before it starts. Bathroom break, sweater, drinks - you do it all before the meeting starts. I will show you where the bathroom and your room are."

As they left the kitchen and headed upstairs, Jenny said, "I couldn't grab a sweater if I wanted to - our bags are still in the car."

"If you need a sweater, I could loan you one of mine."

"I'd appreciate that, if you don't mind."

Jasmine shook her head. "You are family. I see it in his eyes when he looks at you. It's the same way that David looks at me and John and Sarah look at each other."

Jenny stepped into the bathroom, stunned at the easy acceptance she had found here. She quickly did what she had to do, slipped a few tissues into her pocket and left the room. Jasmine came up the stairs and handed her a sweater. Jenny stared at it. It was beautifully made with a native design woven into the fabric. "I couldn't borrow this - it's too beautiful."

"My grandmother made it and, just between you and me, it's not her best work. But it is warm and that is what it's for. Please use it."

Reverently, she put on the garment. "I'll take care while I'm wearing it."

"I didn't think otherwise. Are you ready?"

Jenny nodded and followed Jasmine back downstairs and through the kitchen to the dining room. Her eyes widened as she looked around the room. It was huge and the table in the center was large and very old as was the sideboard. "Good god."

John noticed Jenny in the doorway as Jasmine went to sit next to David. "My wife inherited it from her mother who inherited it from her aunt. Of course that goes back to the day when this was farmland and families were larger then."

Tommy patted the chair next to him and she moved across the room and sat down. Sarah came in a moment later, carrying a tray of steaming cups. Once they were all handed out, Sarah set the tray on the sideboard and sat down herself and looked at her husband.

He smiled at her and rapped his knuckles on the table. "Okay, let's call this meeting to order. This is the - what, eighteenth? - Oliver extended family meeting."

"I thought we gave up the formalities when I went to college" Tommy laughed.

Sarah grinned at her son. "Tommy, you're out of order."

"That's nothing new." Everyone laughed before John continued.

"We're here so that Jennifer can say what she needs to one time and not three. Jennifer?"

"Jenny. Anyway, I'm not sure where to start. When Sarah and Jasmine and I went into the kitchen after the incident in the foyer, Jasmine asked me if I was a parent and I said no. This was both true and misleading. I once was a parent, but I no longer am."

Even the children were quiet as everyone absorbed this information. She continued. "My daughter was killed in a car accident two years ago. Her father was bringing her home from his visitation and they were hit by a drunk driver. She wasn't wearing her seatbelt and she died."

Jessica slid down out of her chair and padded around the table. She tugged at Jenny's chair until Jenny slid it back. The little girl climbed up into her lap, put her small hands on either side of Jenny's face and looked at her solemnly. "It's okay to be sad. I was sad when Mommy got hurt, and my friend said that it was okay to feel like that. She told me that Mommy would get better and she is and Rachel said it was okay to be happy about that, too."

Jessica hugged Jenny and Jenny hugged her back automatically. "Is Rachel your friend?"

Jessica nodded. "Robert says that she's not real, but she is."

Robert piped up. "Jasmine says that Rachel's just dimagindary."

"Imaginary" corrected David. "Pretend."

"That's what I said" answered Robert stubbornly. "Dimagindary."

Jenny looked at Tommy. "It couldn't be, could it?" she thought.

"I don't know" he thought back. "But if it is, then she truly does have another purpose, doesn't she?"

Sam spoke quietly. "Jessica, what else can you tell us about your friend?"

"She helps me sometimes and she has a pretty dress and she said that her grandpa calls her Rrrrock-elle." The adults were puzzled, but Jessica insisted, "That's what she said, but I can't say it like she does."

Suddenly, Jenny laughed. "Do you mean Raquel?" she asked the girl, rolling the r.

"Yes! She does it just like that!" the little girl said excitedly.

Jenny's eyes twinkled. "I'll bet it's her Grandpa Nick, right?"

"I think so. She said that he takes her to the zoo, sometimes."

Jasmine asked, "Jessica, where is Rachel?"

Jessica cocked her head. "I'm not sure. She didn't come with us 'cause she said she had to check on my mommy."

Slowly, Jenny spoke. "Jessica, I think that your Rachel and my Rachel are the same person. Which would mean that she's definitely not imaginary."

David frowned. "So the child is being haunted?"

"I don't think so. I think that Rachel is supposed to watch over Jessica and her family, but Jessica is the only one who can see her."

Sam spoke again. "She may have the gift to be a seer. Where I have the gift to see events before they happen, she may have the gift to see those that have passed on."

Robert piped up, "I want a gift, too!"

Sam smiled at the boy. "You have gifts, young one. You just haven't found them yet."

Robert slid out of his chair and headed out of the room. "Where are you going?" Jasmine asked him.

"To find my gifts."

Jessica wiggled out of Jenny's lap. "I'm going to help him." With that, she took off after her brother.

Jenny laughed and said, "David, you and Jasmine should probably catch them before they tear up the house. I was done anyway."

John nodded. "Meeting adjourned." David and Jasmine took off after the children. Sarah headed for the kitchen to start dinner. John turned his attention to Jenny and changed the subject.

"So you own Future Tech Industries. Is there any chance of it being publicly traded any time soon?"

"I hadn't even given that any thought. The problem with being publicly traded is that I would have a lot less control than I do now."

John looked disappointed. "And I was looking forward to being on the inside track."

Tommy shook his head and grinned at Jenny. "Dad's a serious tech junkie."

"Hey, before I retired, I worked on and with all kinds of technology. I can't help it if I'm still fascinated with all it can do."

"I'm good with some of that stuff, but not with all of it" Jenny admitted. "I've got three approvals pending that I'd have to research before I can tell the individual offices that they can go ahead."

"Really? For what?"

"One of them is medical, one is software based and I'm not sure about the third one." Jenny had a hunch. "Would you like to see it?"

"I'd love to."

"I'll be right back." Jenny got up and left the room, returning a few minutes later with an envelope. Tommy and Sam left the room as Jenny pulled out some papers and spread them out for John to view.

Tommy stayed in the kitchen to help his mother while Sam went into the living room. Sarah turned her attention to her son as she worked. "So how serious are you about her?"

Tommy took a breath. "Very serious, Mom."

"Have you met her family?"

"No. They don't get along."

Sarah stopped and stared at her son. She couldn't understand that kind of distance in a family. "Can I ask why?"

Tommy frowned. "After Jenny got divorced, she and Rachel lived with her parents for a while. From what I gathered, they kind of ruled her life. She finally got out of the house and started standing up for herself - which they didn't like. After Rachel died, she sued the guy who caused the accident and ended up with the company and a lot of money. Apparently, she disappeared off the face of the earth for a couple of months after that and refuses to tell her family where she was. She told them that she doesn't remember and they don't believe her."

"Because they think that she does." He nodded. "Do you know where she was?"

"She told me and I understand why she doesn't want to tell them. Either way, it's none of their business."

"Tommy, if you were missing for a couple of months, I'd want to know where you were."

"But if I said that I didn't remember or that I didn't want to talk about it, you'd leave it alone. They don't quite seem to grasp that she is old enough and mentally sound enough to make that choice."

"Sounds like they need a mediator."

"It does, doesn't it?" Tommy was thoughtful for a moment and then shook his head. "At this point, I don't know that she'd even consider such a thing. And it's not just her parents. I understand her sisters are acting the same way."

Sarah contemplated this for a long minute. "You do realize that if you are that serious about her, you'll end up dealing with that mess at some point."

"I know, Mom, but I don't know that I can do anything about it. It's not like I can fix it."

"No, but by the mere fact of her family's existence, you have to deal with the situation and the baggage that comes with it."

He sighed. "I know. I thought about contacting them myself, but that's a hornet's nest I'm not sure I want to get in the middle of."

"What would you say? 'Hey, your daughter is my girlfriend and you all need to grow up because I'm going to marry her whether you like it or not.' Not exactly a winning speech, is it?"

He shrugged. "I don't know what I'd say. I'd probably have to confront them face to face and I don't want to lie to her about where I'm going and why. And I didn't say that I was going to marry her."

"You didn't say you weren't, either." Suddenly, Sarah gasped.

"What's wrong?"

"The knife slipped and I cut my hand."

"How bad is it?" he asked, crossing over to her quickly.

"I'm not sure, but hands and heads bleed a lot even from small cuts." She grabbed a couple of paper towels and pressed them against the wound.

"Let me see it, Mom. Don't make me call Dad."

Tommy looked at the wound as best he could through the blood. To him, it looked bad. He raised his voice, making sure that it sounded calm and steady. "Jen, could you come here?" At his mother's questioning look, he said, "Trust me."

Jenny appeared in the kitchen door. "What's up?"

"Mom cut her hand and I can't tell how bad it is. Could you look at it?"

Jenny quickly crossed the kitchen, seeing how pale Sarah was. "Sarah, talk to me. Are you okay?"

"I don't handle seeing my own blood very well."

"Don't look at it" Jenny advised. "Look at your son and focus on him."

Jenny held Sarah's hand over the sink, turned the water on and gently removed the paper towel. "Sarah, I'm going to run some water over your hand and clean it up a bit. Keep focusing on Tommy."

In a couple of minutes, Jenny had the area clean and could see the cut. It was in a bad place, but she doubted it needed stitches. "Move your fingers for me. Tell me if it hurts more than a regular cut."

Sarah wiggled her fingers a bit. "No, I don't think so."

"Do you take aspirin?"

"I took one a couple of hours before you got here."

"But not regularly?"

"No. Why?"

"Aspirin thins the blood and makes it harder for it to clot. If you were taking it regularly, you'd need to call your doctor. This might hurt a little."

Sarah reached for Tommy, who grabbed her hand. "Hang on, Mom. It'll be okay."

Jenny asked, "Sarah, do you have any kind of bandages in the house?"

"Some. Tommy knows where we keep them." Without a word, Tommy hurried out of the room and soon returned with several small boxes and a first aid kit.

Jenny giggled. "It's a cut, Tommy. She didn't lose a hand."

Tommy blushed, but said defensively, "You weren't specific about what you needed."

"Sarah, if you can spare him, I need Tommy's hands for a few minutes."

"I'm okay."

Several minutes later, Jenny had put ointment on the injury, along with butterfly bandages and lightly wrapped the whole thing in gauze. "Okay, Sarah. The gauze is mostly to keep it clean until it starts to heal itself. Luckily, it wasn't any deeper or I'd have sent you to the hospital."

"I'll have Jasmine help Tommy finish dinner. Thank you , Jenny."

Jenny waved it away. "No thanks necessary. What was I going to do - let you bleed and faint on the floor?"

Sarah smiled. Some of the color had returned to her face. "Well, it is my floor after all."

Jenny chuckled as Sarah left to find Jasmine. She turned to Tommy. "Now, are you okay?"

"Yeah. Every year it's something. I just couldn't tell how bad it was."

Jenny wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him. "She's okay. It's not as bad as it looked, I promise."

He hugged her back and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I'm glad you didn't lose your knowledge when you came back from the other world."

"It comes in handy sometimes."

"Thanks" he said softly.

"No problem."

A voice came from the other room. "If you're finished patching up my wife, can we continue our discussion?" John asked.

Jenny laughed at the startled look on Tommy's face. They both walked into the dining room. John grinned at Tommy. "You know as well as I do that something happens every year. I swear, Thanksgiving is going to be what kills your mother, not anything normal."

"I heard that, John!" came Sarah's voice from the kitchen. "Just for that, _you_ get to get up at four in the morning to put the turkey in the oven."

"Now, dear, let's not get crazy" John backpedaled quickly. "You tried that eight years ago, remember?"

"And eight years before that" Tommy added.

"You're not helping, son."

"Wasn't trying to. Maybe I should do it this year."

"When did you learn to cook a turkey?" John demanded.

"In college. Hayley taught me" Tommy answered as Sarah and Jasmine entered the dining room.

Jenny and Jasmine traded looks before Jasmine spoke up. "John and Sarah, I have an idea. What if you two take this year off and let Tommy, Jenny, David and me do the cooking?"

Jenny nodded. "I'll even do the clean up after."

The elder Olivers looked at each other, silently communicating. Finally, John gave his wife a quick nod. Sarah answered, "Thank you, Jasmine. That's a wonderful suggestion."

Jenny bit her lip, thinking. "I might need someone to run to the store for some things."

Sarah commented, "Well, Tommy and Jasmine are going to finish dinner. David or I can go."

"Not you. You need to rest. See if David will go."

"What do you need?"

Jenny listed a half a dozen things. Jasmine shook her head. "Write them down. Tommy, you and I should see if there is anything else we need for tomorrow."

Twenty minutes later, David left with a list in hand. Sarah was watching the children with Sam while Jenny and John went back to their papers. Tommy and Jasmine returned to making dinner.

The pair worked in companionable silence for some time before Jasmine spoke. "I like her."

Tommy glanced at her, startled out of his thoughts. "You do?" When she nodded, he grinned. "I'm glad. She's the best thing that's happened to me in a long time. I'd hate it if my family didn't like her."

Jasmine shook her head. "I'm not quite family yet."

"Yes, you are. Maybe not legally, but you are in every other way."

"Just as Jenny has become part of your family in your eyes?"

Tommy reddened. "Maybe not _quite_ the same way, but yes."

"So are you thinking about a future with her?"

"Yes" he answered simply.

Jasmine studied him for a moment. "If it matters, you have my blessing." She planted a sisterly kiss on his cheek.

"Thanks, Jasmine."

"Are you going to ask her to marry you?"

"Eventually."

"Good." They worked in silence for a little while longer. Jasmine spoke again. "Are you going to have children?"

Tommy was so startled, he dropped the handful of vegetables he was adding to the pot. Adroitly, he dodged the splash of broth that came out of the pot. He sighed, grabbed a towel and began to clean up the mess. "I don't know."

"Do you want kids?"

Tommy nodded. "At some point. But if she doesn't, then it doesn't matter because we won't. I'm not going to push her into having kids if she doesn't want them. Besides, it's a little early to be discussing it."

"Because of the evil in Reefside?" Tommy's head snapped around to look at her, but found she wasn't looking at him. "I watch the news and I would think it would be a scary place to try and have children right now. Maybe after the Power Rangers defeat the evil, but not now."

Tommy's brow furrowed. What did she know? He assumed that David had figured out that he was a Ranger once more, but had David told her? "Well, yeah, but who knows when that will happen?"

"Sam does. He often tells us that one day the threat will end, just as the threat of school for children ends when the summer comes."

Tommy chuckled. "Yeah, but the problem of school and the problem of evil are the same there - it always comes back."

"True, but evil does not always rise in the same places or in the same ways. For a long time, Angel Grove was plagued with the monsters. Then it moved on to other places. Mariner Bay, Blue Bay Harbor, and others - they have all seen the evil and it has always been defeated. Sam says that Reefside, too, will know peace once more."

"That's good to know. I look forward to it." Jasmine tossed the last of the vegetables into the pot and gave it a quick stir. Tommy raised his voice. "Mom, you want to come and check this?"

Sarah came and gave the pot a quick check, adding a little salt. "It'll be ready in about half an hour. Thank you both."

Tommy kissed her and went back into the dining room. Jenny and John were deep in the papers. He was about to leave the room when John said, "I could be wrong, but it appears to be some kind of weapon."

Tommy paused as Jenny answered back, "But what does it do?"

"I'm not sure. If I'm reading this right - and I'm not positive I am - it looks like it would capture and store energy. I'm just not sure what kind. This formula here is the one that's confusing me." He pointed at one of the sheets in front of him.

Jenny frowned and pulled the sheet in front of her. Tommy walked around, leaned on the back of her chair and looked at the page over her shoulder. It seemed vaguely familiar, but he didn't know why. Jenny spoke slowly. "You're right, John. It is a weapon, but I have no idea why one of my branches would be working on these lines."

"Military contract, most likely. Most large research companies have them" John answered.

Jenny's eyes narrowed. She grabbed her phone and flipped it open. "Excuse me. I have a call to make."

Tommy stepped back to let her slide her chair out and watched as she left the room. He studied the page once more. Why did it seem familiar? He turned his attention to his father when John spoke. "I hope I didn't upset her."

Tommy shook his head. "No, Dad, someone else did. You just helped her see it."

John pulled the page in front of him once more. "The numbers here had to come from somewhere, but I haven't seen anything in these formulas that explains them."

Tommy slid into Jenny's vacated seat and looked through the pages. He found what he was looking for. "Look, Dad. There's a footnote here that says it ties into another study. There's a number, but no other information."

"I wonder if it's one of the other ones that she's supposed to approve."

"I don't know. I didn't even know that she brought work with her." Tommy frowned.

"Whose holiday do you think she's ruining right now?" John asked.

Tommy stood up abruptly. "Probably the wrong person's. I'll be right back."

He hurried out of the room. Jasmine was stirring the pot on the stove. She answered his unspoken question. "She's in the back yard."

Tommy slipped out the door in time to hear her say, "Crystal, either we have a military contract or we don't. If we do, then it happened before I took over the company and we should have been informed. If not, then someone has lost their damn mind if they think I'm going to approve this."

Tommy spoke quietly. "Jenny."

Jenny glanced at him and signaled for him to wait. She spoke into the phone again. "I didn't mean right this minute, but we do need to know as soon as reasonably possible. In the meantime, I want to make sure that no further work is being done on this project."

Tommy said, "Give me the phone."

She gave him a puzzled look and spoke into the phone again. "Hang on a minute, Crystal." She turned her attention to him. "What?"

"Give me the phone." Jenny handed it to him and watched curiously. He spoke into it. "Crystal, it's Tommy. I know. I'll handle it. Have a good Thanksgiving and we'll talk to you next week. Okay. Bye." He snapped the phone shut and, in the stunned silence that followed, slipped it into his pocket.

"What are you doing?" Jenny said in disbelief.

"Sweetheart, it's the holidays. Nothing is really going to get accomplished before Monday or Tuesday, at least."

"I know, but-"

"No buts" he said firmly. "Why did you bring work with you? We're only going to be here a couple of days."

"It's work that needs to be done. If Thanksgiving is the same here as it is anywhere else I've been, tomorrow about two o'clock just about everybody will be napping. I thought I could deal with it then. I didn't expect that there would be a problem - or that your dad would even be interested in it."

"I looked at the formula Dad pointed out. I thought it looked kind of familiar, but I don't think I've seen it before. What is it?"

Jenny shivered. "If I'm reading it correctly, the formula is based on bio-energy. It would look familiar because parts of it are in the teleporter equations and in the equations that Logan and Jubilee brought from the other world that helped me figure out what was wrong with Beast."

Tommy thought about this for a minute. "Okay, so it would absorb and store bio-energy. The formulas cross reference with another study, but I don't know which one. The papers give a number, but that's all."

Jenny glanced at her watch. "By now all the databases at the company should be shut down, so I can't access the information even if I wanted to without actually going to one of the buildings."

"So there's nothing you can do right now anyway."

"No."

"Then you might as well let it go for now and you can tackle the problem after the holiday. Okay?"

Jenny sighed heavily and nodded. "I know I should, but just the idea that my company is building a weapon-"

"It might not be. One of your branches does medical research. What if the device is meant to work with something they're working on?"

"It's possible, but unlikely."

Tommy wrapped his arms around her. "You'll figure it out later. In the meantime, relax and don't worry about it."

He felt her relax into his chest. "I'll try." A couple of minutes passed before she spoke again. "Do you think your dad would be interested in a consulting job?"

Tommy snickered. "Try and stop him. But, Jen, please leave it until day after tomorrow."

"I will. Can I have my phone back now?"

He pulled back slightly and she looked up at him. His eyes twinkled at her as he answered her. "No. I don't want you sneaking behind my back and working."

"There are worse things than working" she teased back.

He turned toward the house, pulling her with him. "Well, yeah, but I don't see you being the type to cheat on me so-"

She paused thoughtfully, eyes sparkling with humor. "I doubt I could even find anyone that could live up to the high standards I have now because of you."

"Because I'm just that good."

"And you're modest too" she said cheekily. He laughed and they went into the house together.


	22. Chapter 22

**Thanksgiving morning**

Jenny glanced around at the activity in the kitchen. It wasn't a small kitchen by any means, but it definitely wasn't designed for four adults putting together a holiday meal. Tommy had already gotten the turkey into the oven and was now working on the dressing. David was working on potatoes, Jasmine was working on a native dish similar to cornbread and Jenny was dealing with the sweet potatoes.

Tommy spoke to the room in general. "How can you tell if there is enough sage in the dressing?"

"Taste it" Jenny answered.

Tommy glanced at her over his shoulder. "Are you kidding me?"

"No."

He looked at the bowl before him. "I'm not doing it. This stuff is nasty until it bakes."

David pointed out, "It is the same ingredients both before and after it cooks."

"Then you try it."

"I don't cook well. Notice that all my work has been prep work."

"Jasmine?"

"I don't like the flavor of sage so I would be no help."

"Jen?" His voice held a pleading note and she sighed.

"I thought you said that Hayley taught you to make a turkey."

"She did. She didn't teach me to make this. We always made it from a box."

Jenny sighed again and moved to wash her hands. "I'll do it, but it's a bad idea. I love sage and I never think there's enough in stuffing."

"It's dressing."

She shrugged as she dried her hands. "Same mixture, different location." She nipped a little out of the bowl and tried it. "It's fine."

"Thank you. How's your dish coming along?" he asked as he began transferring the mixture to a baking dish.

"Fine. I'm almost to the part where I'll need a second pair of hands."

Jasmine asked, puzzled, "What are you doing with them?"

"I'm making sweet potato balls. I know it's not traditional fare, but I wanted to do something different."

"It'll be fine" Tommy told her. "The only things that are traditional here is the turkey and that Mom's going to get hurt."

Jessica wandered in and walked right behind Tommy just as he turned to set the dish on the island behind him. He did a quick spin in the opposite direction and set the dish down. "Careful, Jessica."

"Why are you in here?" Jasmine asked. "I told you and Robert to stay out of the kitchen."

"We're hungry."

Jenny thought quickly. "You and Robert get your jackets. I'll give you something, but you need to eat on the back porch."

The child flew out of the room, calling for her brother. Jenny scooped up two oranges that she hadn't needed and quickly cut them into sections. Tommy passed her a couple of paper plates. She had just loaded them when the twins entered the kitchen. She handed each child a plate and led them to the back door. "Do not leave the porch. Eat those and then come in and wash up."

The pair nodded and went outside. Jenny turned her attention back to her dish. Jasmine commented, "You handle them well."

Jenny shrugged, "It's no more difficult than handling my nephews."

"But you seem to have no problem. I have days where I don't know what to do."

Jenny laughed. "Welcome to the wonderful world of parenting."

David mentioned, "I have a hard time when I tell them to do something and they say 'Mom doesn't make us do that'."

"What do you say?"

"I usually don't make them do it."

"Wrong answer - you just lost. Foster parent, step parent, real parent - it doesn't matter. The minute you give in like that, they've got you - and they know it."

Tommy cocked his head. "Then what's the right answer?"

"It depends on the situation" she admitted. "But most of the time the right answer is 'The rules are different in this house' or 'I'm not your mother'. It's really no different than if you have children and their friends come over. You'd still expect the visitors to follow your rules. Tommy, can you grab that pan for me?"

Tommy slid the pan next to her elbow as she continued. "Of course, I have strong opinions about modern kids and their behavior, anyway."

Tommy let out a bark of laughter. "There's an understatement."

"Oh hush" she giggled back. Seeing the other two looking confused, she said, "Tommy and I got into a debate about kids today on the way here."

"It wasn't a debate. You were making a speech."

"To an unappreciative audience of one."

"I wasn't unappreciative. You were just preaching to the choir."

"Right. Can you help me with this?" Tommy nodded and gave her a hand. The children came in, threw their trash out and went to wash their hands. Twenty minutes later, everything was in the ovens or ready to go. Jenny looked at the others. "I'll clean up. Why don't you all go sit down and relax?"

Immediately, Tommy and David left the room. Jasmine started running water in the sink as she spoke. "You said that you would do the clean up after. I assume that meant after we eat, not after we cook."

Jenny shrugged. "Either or both - it doesn't matter."

The girls worked in comfortable silence for several minutes. Jasmine finally said, "I know it's none of my business, but what are your plans for my future brother-in-law?"

Jenny looked at her, startled. "What do you mean?"

"You have already said that you love him and you know that he loves you."

"What you're asking is am I going to marry him. It's not something we've discussed."

"I see. So you are not making any future plans?"

"Generally I don't plan too far into the future these days. I've been married and divorced twice and lost a child. None of that was in my plans. At this point, fate seems to control my life so I just have to wait and see where it takes me."

Jasmine appeared startled. "So what would you say if he asked you?"

"It would depend on when he asked me. Why? Do you know something I don't know?"

"No. I'm just curious."

Jenny sighed. "We live in Reefside. He could ask me tomorrow and next week one of us could be in the wrong place when there's a monster attack and then what?"

"It is no different for anyone else. A car wreck, a robbery - these things are a part of daily life and they take loved ones just as well. You know this better than some. Isn't some happiness better than none?"

"I am happy. I don't know how to say this very well, but I hope it makes sense. As far as I'm concerned, we are married. We don't have the piece of paper from the state that acknowledges it, but we are married in every way that counts. At least that's how I feel. That piece of paper is nothing more than the state recognizing what already exists. The ceremony is a formality that invites our friends and family to celebrate with us what we already know to be."

"So you don't want to get married formally and legally."

"Just between you and me - even if I did, I don't know what I want anymore. I'd be just as happy with a justice of the peace at the courthouse as I would a big fancy church wedding. IF he asked me, I'd leave it up to him what kind of ceremony we'd have. After all, it's his first time around the block so to speak."

In the other room, Tommy was talking with his family when he felt a phone go off in his pocket. He pulled it out and glanced at the caller ID. It was Jenny's phone and the ID read 'Heather'. He frowned and headed for the kitchen. He entered just in time to hear Jenny say, "After all, it's his first time around the block so to speak."

The ringing of the phone drew the attention of both women. Tommy asked, "Who is Heather?"

The phone went quiet at that moment. "Well" Jenny commented "it either went to voicemail or she hung up."

"Who is it?" he asked again.

"My sister and I have no idea why she's calling. Probably to rag on me for not calling for the holiday."

"Is she the one with the kids?"

"No, that's the other one." The phone went off again - a different tune this time. "She left a voicemail."

Tommy handed her the phone. "I'll help Jasmine. See what she wants."

Jenny sighed and took the phone. As she dialed her voicemail, she wandered into the dining room. She keyed in her code and listened to the message.

'Hey Jennifer, it's Heather. I was calling to talk to you about this crap that's going on. I've given it a lot of thought since you left Illinois and I realize that it's nobody's business but yours where you were. I'm not speaking for the family, just myself. I'm sorry. I know I have a lot to make up for and I hope you'll give me the chance. Happy Thanksgiving and - I love you.'

Jenny stared at the wall, but wasn't seeing it. She was so stunned that she forgot to breathe. She sat down hard in a chair and took in a sharp breath. She closed the phone, knowing that the message would be automatically saved. Did Heather really mean it? Was it a trick? Jenny didn't know what to think. Tommy's voice brought her out of her stupor.

"Baby, are you okay?" Worry laced his voice. "Why are you crying?"

She wiped her eyes and realized that she had, indeed, been crying. Without a word, she accessed the message again and handed him the phone. He listened to the message, his expression giving away nothing. He closed the phone slowly. "What do you think?"

"I don't know what to think," Jenny admitted. "Of my whole family, she's the most grounded and realistic. Of the four of them, she would be the most likely to call first."

"Are you going to call her back?"

"Do you think I should?" Jenny bit her lip uncertainly.

"What I think doesn't matter. It's up to you."

"Nice dodge. You're no help."

"I'll support you whatever you decide, you should know that by now. I know what I would do, but it's still your choice." Tommy kissed her gently on the forehead and headed out of the room. "By the way, we won't be ready to eat for about three more hours."

Jenny stared at her phone for a minute. Suddenly, she flipped it open and dialed. She had one more call to make before she decided.


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: Finally! This story won't be getting updated as often as in the past. I still don't own anything, sadly. Hopefully, I still have readers for this.**

**TWO HOURS LATER**

Tommy frowned. He hadn't seen Jenny since he left her in the dining room trying to decide whether or not to call her sister back. He was playing cards with his parents and David. Glancing at the cards in his hand, he realized that he had nothing. Suddenly, he stood and tossed them on the table. "I fold."

The other three exchanged knowing glances as he left the table. Tommy headed for the dining room and arrived only to find it empty, but the table was set. He frowned again. He checked the back porch and yard. No Jenny. As he came back into the house, David entered the kitchen. "Have you looked upstairs?" he suggested, eyes twinkling.

"Thanks" Tommy answered. He flew up the stairs to the room they were sharing. Just as he reached the door, he heard a familiar giggle from inside. He pushed open the door and poked his head inside. Jenny was sitting on the window seat with her legs tucked up under her. He couldn't help but grin at her next remark into the phone.

"I don't need to meet a Power Ranger - I have a boyfriend. And believe me, he's better than any Ranger! Actually, you know of him. Remember when we lived in Angel Grove? Remember when Tommy Oliver moved there? Uh huh, that's the one. Well, I'm living with him. No, he wears it short now. Teaching at the high school. Yeah, that's how we met up again."

Suddenly, she frowned. "We've only been together a few months, Heather. I doubt that he'd be thinking in that direction this soon. Even if he is, I doubt we'd get married before the evil that's rampaging through Reefside is stopped. No, he hasn't said anything to make me think one way or another."

She paused and laughed at something her sister said. "I'm not worried about that. Even if the rest of the family and I were speaking, I have no doubt they'd approve of him. He's a good man, keeps a job and treats me well. Yes, he knows about the company now. He didn't know at first, so that's not even part of the equation. Of course not! I know you're only doing the sisterly thing, but if the words 'prenuptial agreement' come out of your mouth again, we'll be back to not speaking" she warned. She was only kidding a little.

Jenny glanced at her watch. "Heather, I'd love to talk some more, but it's about time to finish dinner and you probably have to go to Mom and Dad's soon. I'll talk to you later. Love you too. Bye." She hung up the phone, unfolded her legs and turned to stand. She looked up and saw Tommy leaning on the door frame, arms folded and grinning at her. Immediately, her face flamed. "How long have you been standing there?"

"Not that long. Just since 'I don't need to meet a Power Ranger'."

If possible, her face burned more. Tommy crossed the room, pulled her to her feet and wrapped his arms around her. "So, obviously, you and your sister are talking again."

She smiled and answered, "Yes. We'll see how that goes. I'm not going to get my hopes up yet. She offered to talk to the rest of the family, which is a huge concession for her. She usually doesn't get in the middle of everybody else's business. I told her that I'd appreciate it, but she didn't have to."

"Do you think it can be fixed? I don't want you getting hurt."

"No, it can't be fixed. My family and I might be able to build some new bridges, but we can't fix the old ones. I've changed and can't possibly fit into the mold of the old me - and I don't want to try. If we're going to start communicating, they need to realize that I'm a different person and they need to learn to trust me."

Tommy hugged her gently. "I'm here for you if you need me."

"I didn't doubt that for a second" she replied and kissed him. They kissed for several minutes before they broke apart. "We need to stop that or I'm going to conveniently forget that we're in your parents' house."

He grinned at her. "At least we still get to share a room and a bed. I doubt I could sleep otherwise."

"I know what you mean." Just then they heard the peal of the doorbell. "I'm guessing that's your great aunt."

As they left the room, Tommy warned her, "Aunt Ellen has no problem saying whatever is on her mind. She told us some time ago that she was too old to worry about social niceties."

"Oh this will be interesting."

"To say the least. Just brace yourself."

They entered the front hallway to greet the elderly woman. The only other ones there were Sarah, John and Sam. Tommy stepped forward. "Hi, Aunt Ellen."

He leaned forward and kissed her cheek as she studied him. "Still teaching?" she asked him.

"Yes. I told you, I love my job."

The old woman snorted. "Teaching basic science to a bunch of spoiled brats who couldn't care less is beneath you. You should be out on digs or whatever you call them making great discoveries."

"Well, I have a great bunch of kids this year." He took a deep breath. "I also have a girlfriend."

"It's about time. She's not like that whiny Kim girl or that stuck up Kat, is she?"

Jenny bit her lip to keep from laughing as Tommy answered. "Kim was sick the one time you met her and Kat was intimidated by you. I told you that."

"Neither one of them was good enough for you. Just be straight with me - what's wrong with the new one?"

John broke in, sounding amused. "You can judge for yourself, Aunt Ellen. She's right here."

Jenny stepped forward. "Hello. I'm Jennifer Allen. I'd like to say it's nice to meet you, but I'd hate to make a snap decision like that."

Tommy's eyes grew wide as Ellen studied her. "Don't you know that you're supposed to respect your elders, girl?"

"I have no problem respecting your age and life experience, ma'am. But the way I was raised, respect as an individual has to be earned." Jenny shrugged. "Besides, I'd hate to start off on a lie, wouldn't you?"

"Good, because I don't think I like you either" the older woman snapped.

"I wasn't expecting you to like me on sight. And I never said that I don't like you. I said that I didn't want to make a snap decision. If you'll excuse me, I need to check on the turkey."

As Jenny turned to walk out of the room, she saw Sam wink at her and John grinning like he'd just won the lottery. She made her way to the kitchen and found Jasmine with the oven door open, her back to the doorway. Jasmine was shaking. "Jasmine, are you okay?"

Jasmine turned to Jenny, her doe brown eyes sparkling with humor. "I do not think that anyone has ever spoken to her like that. She will either dislike you intensely or she will love you."

"For Tommy's sake, let's hope that she loves me."

"And what about your own sake?"

Jenny shrugged. "I don't care either way. She'll like me or she won't. He's obviously her favorite. But I have to say, her snippy little comments about Kim and Kat were pretty revealing about her character. She wants someone tough for her great nephew. Someone that can stand on her own two feet without looking to him to protect them all the time. I'd almost bet that at some point she accuses me of being with him for his money or future inheritance."

Jasmine grinned. "I think I would take that bet. She is a tough old lady, but I doubt she will go that far."

Jenny raised an eyebrow. "How much do you want to bet?"

"Oh, nothing large."

"A dollar?"

Jasmine grinned at her. "Agreed."

"How's the turkey doing?"

Jasmine replied, "I think we will be able to pull it out and finish cooking the rest of dinner. We should be able to eat in about half an hour."

They quickly made the switches and Jasmine excused herself to check on the kids. Jenny sat at the island, thinking. Understanding better what the elderly woman was like, she ran through several possible scenarios in her mind of things Aunt Ellen might say and her possible answers.

Half an hour later, Jenny and Jasmine arranged the food in their dishes and on the table before calling everyone to eat. They were almost finished with the meal, and the conversations had been light and fun, when Aunt Ellen addressed Jenny again.

"So where do you work?"

"I start teaching at Reefside High after winter break" she informed the woman.

"So you're unemployed. That figures."

Tommy nearly choked on his food. He couldn't believe she'd said that, but Jenny answered her calmly. "For the moment. Fortunately, I have some money put back that has covered my expenses pretty well so far."

"So now you're living off of my great nephew?"

"Oh, I suppose the correct term would be living with, not living off of. To the best of my knowledge, I've covered my share of the living expenses."

"In other words, you've given him some money, but he's too much of a gentleman to tell you it's not enough and he's supporting you."

Jenny cocked her head and studied the older woman thoughtfully. "Whatever's on your mind, please just say it. I'd really rather not waste my holiday trying to unravel the puzzle."

Jenny bit back a grin at the gleam in the other woman's eyes. "Either you're with him for the money and what he can give you or he feels sorry for you and you're taking advantage of that."

Gasps burst forth from all sides, as by now everyone was listening to the conversation. Tommy opened his mouth to protest, but stopped when Jenny placed her hand on his arm. "Wow. You think that's all your great nephew can offer to attract a woman? Money and protection?"

Jenny paused to let this sink in before she continued. "I suppose you're right - to a point. I am with him for what he gives me, but it's not material goods or money. He loves me as I love him. It wouldn't matter to me if he was broke, living in an apartment and living paycheck to paycheck. I've lived that way before and it's not a problem. Besides, I'm not exactly dirt poor myself and I'm sure you think better of him than to think that he'd be with me for my money." She paused and smiled. "Not to mention I think he's handsome as hell."

Silence reigned for a moment as Aunt Ellen scrambled for something else to say. When nothing was forthcoming, Jenny turned her attention to Jasmine. "I don't know about you, but I'm too stuffed for dessert. Want to keep me company while I do the dishes?"

Jasmine nodded and the girls cleared their places, encouraging the others to continue eating. Jenny started running water in the sink. Speaking quietly so as not to be overheard, Jasmine said, "Well done."

Jenny grinned weakly. "Well, like you said - she's either going to love me or she's going to hate me. And again - I don't care either way except for Tommy's sake. By the way, you owe me a dollar."

Jasmine sighed and nodded. "I will get it for you later."

Jasmine returned to the dining room to retrieve the children's plates and returned stifling giggles. Jenny looked at her curiously. "Tommy and John are sitting there looking like a pair of cats who have caught canaries. Sarah and David seem to be amused."

Jenny grinned. "What about Sam?"

"It is harder to read Sam, but he seems to be thinking. Do not worry about him. I think he already likes you - as do the rest of us."

Jenny grinned wider. "Thanks, Jasmine."

John and Sarah were the next to bring in their dishes. Both of them smiled at Jenny and John patted her shoulder. Jenny knew that they didn't hold the exchange against her. Tommy and David were next. Tommy pressed a kiss to her cheek and said very quietly, "I am very proud of you."

"For being rude?"

"No, for standing up for yourself - and me."

"Come on, David" Jasmine said suddenly. "We will retrieve the rest of the dishes from the dining room and put away the food. Then Jenny can relax with the rest of us."

As soon as they were out of the room, Tommy took advantage of being alone and kissed Jenny thoroughly. He pulled back slightly and whispered, "Do you know how badly I want to say to hell with the rules and take you upstairs right now?"

"Probably about as badly as I want you to" she whispered back. "But you can hang on until we get home tomorrow, can't you?"

"I doubt it. I'll try and think of something for tonight."

The thought made her blood run hot. She swallowed hard and bit back any teasing remark she might have made. After all, it would do no good to get worked up if they were unable to follow it through.

The rest of the day passed peaceably enough. Aunt Ellen said very little, studying Jenny with sharp eyes when she thought it would go unnoticed. Finally, it was time for the older woman to leave. She said her goodbyes to everyone, ignoring Jenny until she was ready to walk out the door. Then she pinned her with a look. "Walk me to my car" she ordered.

Keeping her face calm, Jenny rose to do as she demanded. Silence fell between them as they made their way to the vehicle. Aunt Ellen climbed in, rolled the window down and shut the door. As she started the car, she looked at Jenny. "I'll be in touch with the rest of the family. If I hear that you have hurt my great nephew in any way, you'll have me to deal with." Jenny nodded solemnly as the old woman continued. "Until then, I think he's done all right with you. Take care of him."

Stunned, Jenny nodded again as Aunt Ellen put the car into gear and drove away. She stood watching the car disappear as she sorted through Ellen's last words. She didn't notice that Tommy was beside her until he spoke. "Are you all right? What did she say to you?"

"I think" Jenny answered slowly "she likes me after all."

Suddenly, Tommy grinned. "How could she not?" He wrapped one arm around her shoulders and gently pulled her back into the house. As they entered, their grins made everyone else relax and the day ended very happily.

**FRIDAY AFTERNOON**

The morning had passed pleasantly and David, Jasmine, Sam and the children had already left for home. When Jasmine hugged her goodbye, she had pressed a slip of paper into Jenny's hand.

"Our phone numbers and email addresses" she said. "I wish to keep in touch."

Jenny smiled widely. "I'd like that, Jasmine."

Now, hours later, Jenny smiled again as they loaded the car to go home themselves. Tommy noticed and asked, "What are you smiling about?"

"Nothing specific. I'm just - happy."

Tommy smiled back at her, drew her into his arms and looked into her eyes. The haunted look that he had noticed there before was gone. He kissed her briefly before turning them both toward the house. "Let's go tell my parents we're leaving and let's go home."

There was a satisfied ring in his voice that Jenny felt echoed inside her soul. They quickly said their goodbyes and headed home.

The trip home was much like the trip to Angel Grove, talking and listening to music. When they arrived home, they grabbed only what they would need for the night and headed in. As they stepped inside, whatever joking remark Jenny had been about to make died in her throat. The house felt - wrong. One quick glance at Tommy told her that he felt it, too.

Quickly and silently, they set their respective bags on the floor. With simple hand gestures, Tommy indicated that he would check the guest rooms and she should check the kitchen and den. She nodded and they separated.

Jenny eased up by the kitchen doorway, dropped low and peeked around the corner. As she did, a familiar voice met her ears. "Well, it's about time. We've been waiting, like, forever."

Jenny grinned as she straightened up from her crouch. She called out, "It's okay, Tommy. They're in the kitchen."

In seconds, Tommy was at her side in the doorway. He grinned as he recognized the pair lounging in the kitchen. "How are you doing, Logan? Hello, Jubilee."

"Be a lot better if we hadn't had to wait six hours for you two to come home. Fortunately, Jubes was able to get us in."

Jenny took in the visitors' relaxed postures and began to relax herself. The last time the pair had come, she'd had to return to their world to save the life of a mutual friend - which had turned into an extended stay courtesy of an enemy who had captured and imprisoned Jenny. Still, she found herself wondering about their visit. "What brings you to my dimension?" she asked.

Jubilee had not moved from her perch on the counter, in spite of her wide grin. "We brought you something."

Logan twisted around to reach his jacket on the back of the chair and pulled something out of the pocket, which he tossed on the table. As the fat envelope slid across the table, a grin stretched across the feral man's mouth.

Jenny picked it up and opened the envelope with Tommy looking over her shoulder. She pulled out another envelope and two small medallions on chains. Puzzled, Jenny opened the second envelope and pulled out the contents. She glanced at the card inside, grinned and glanced at Tommy over her shoulder. He, too, was wearing a broad grin. He spoke first. "Congratulations. Summer wedding, huh?"

Jubilee grinned and moved for the first time since Jenny had entered the kitchen. "Well, we're kinda hoping that your little problem around here will be resolved by then and you won't have to worry about having to get back for work."

Jenny's mouth fell open as she saw the ring on Jubilee's left hand. "Good Lord, Jubilee. How do you hold your hand up with that thing on?" Jenny flashed across the room to examine the diamond Jubilee was sporting.

Jubilee giggled. "Actually, I only wear it when I'm showing off."

Logan spoke quietly. "It's actually an heirloom."

Jenny shot him a questioning look. Jubilee soberly answered the unspoken question. "We found out about his past. He was born James Howlett in the late nineteenth century. There's a whole lot more to the story, but I don't think that now is the time. Unfortunately, we have to get back soon. Gateway brought us as a favor."

Tommy was listening, but was also inspecting the medallions that had been in the envelope. "So what're these for?"

Logan grinned. "Professor has a few friends. That's apparently part of his wedding gift to us. They'll open the portal to bring you guys to the wedding."

Jubilee grinned as well. "And apparently they aren't single use items."

"Oh wow" was all that Jenny could say.

Jubilee continued. "It's hard to get bridesmaids and groomsmen fitted on the day of the wedding."

Silence fell in the kitchen as Jenny and Tommy absorbed this statement. Tommy turned to Wolverine. "You want me to be a groomsman? Surely you have other friends that-"

Logan interrupted. "Very few. And some of them I wouldn't trust as far as, well as far as you could throw them. At least, not with something like this."

Jenny frowned at Jubilee. "Are you sure about this? As you say, it'd be hard to do the fittings."

Jubilee cocked her head, a frown marring her pretty face. "You don't want to do it?"

"I didn't say that."

Jubilee's grin returned. "Then it's settled. You guys come back to our dimension when you have the chances and we'll handle everything from there."

Wolverine grinned again. "Of course, if you can come the night before the wedding, that'd be even better."

Jenny grinned. "You know that I'll be the designated driver - that's why you want me there."

"That and I want to see how Tommy holds his liquor." Logan grinned wickedly at Tommy.

Tommy looked thoughtful. "I don't think it will be a problem. The Ranger healing handles most of the problems that come with drinking too much."

Jenny looked at him. "It's a little frightening that you know that."

Suddenly, Jubilee's watch beeped. "And that's all the time we have, folks. We have to go back."

Jenny and Tommy walked their friends to the portal and said their good byes with promises to visit as soon as they could. They walked back to the house with their arms around each other.


End file.
